Sweet Surrender
by Gemkat5
Summary: Chloe doesn't like the woman her dad wishes to marry. She goes to Lex to ask a favor, but, silly girl, forgot that a Luthor never does 'anything' without an ulterior motif. This is a repost from NS. Timeline is seasons 1-3, Chlex, rated 'M!
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: The 'only' thing I claim to own is the insane idea that formed this story. Everything else is borrowed.

SUMMARY: Future fic, AU. Several years after high school Chloe returns to Smallville an unhappy camper, her dad fell in love and Chloe doesn't like the woman he wishes to marry. She goes to Lex to ask a favor, but, silly girl, forgot that a Luthor never does 'anything' without an ulterior motif.

**Sweet Surrender**

(reunion)

"Miss Chloe Sullivan to see you, sir."

"Chloe Sullivan?" Lex repeated with apparent surprise from behind his desk.

"Should I send her away, sir?" Enrique asked with uncertainty. It was a rare occasion to see his employer caught off guard.

"No, no of course not," he replied, immediately regaining his composure. "Send her in."

The last time he had seen Chloe in person was the night before she packed up her car and drove off, in the opposite direction of Metropolis, and let Smallville and all it's residents eat her dust.

Graduation hadn't come soon enough for her. She skipped the ceremony, picked up her diploma from the office the day before, and was gone by the time anyone was the wiser of her leaving. No 'good bye'. No 'Keep in touch'. Nothing. "Eat my dust." was her message plain and simple.

Of course Lex knew where she went. He had her tracked before she ever made it to Gotham City. Gotham, of all the places to go. But it made sense to a degree. Gotham was one of the few places that a Luthor of any generation had no influence in, or at least not much. After a few phone calls, Lex was guaranteed a monthly report on Chloe Sullivan. Reports that he secretly found himself waiting for with a measure of impatience as the years went by. Following the life of Chloe Sullivan was, to say the least, interesting if not eventful.

"Ehem."

"Chloe." He said her name as he rose from his chair. "This is a pleasant surprise," he smiled, walking around his desk to greet her.

"Surprise, possibly. Pleasant, I doubt very much," she replied dryly.

Lex froze, his defenses instantly in place at her cool impassive tone. "None the less, it's nice to see the familiar face of an old friend," he replied, his own tone lacking the warmth it held only a moment before.

"Friend?" she practically snorted, then her tone went cold once more, "Believe what you want, Lex. I didn't come here to go down memory lane. In fact I don't plan on staying longer than an hour, so I'll just cut to the chase. I came to ask you for some assistance in a personal matter."

"It sounds serious if you feel it'll take an hour to go over the details."

"No, Lex. My business with you should only take two minutes. I plan on being out of Smallville within an hour. Would you like to know my request or not?"

He held her gaze, calmly assessing her facial features and body language. The past several years have been kind on her physically. She matured into a beautiful woman. But there was definitely something wrong. Nothing in those reports prepared him for her current coldness.

"Please, continue," he prompted in a business tone, gesturing toward a chair opposite his desk as he reseated himself.

"I'm sure you know that my father has gotten himself involved with a woman from Metropolis," she said snidely.

"You're referring to Nancy Garrett," he responded knowledgably.

"I would like to know if, by any chance, you did a thorough background check on this woman. And I'm not accusing you of anything, Lex, I am asking because if you haven't... I would like you to."

A small smirk formed on his lips. "Why would you think I investigate everyone who comes to Smallville, Chloe?" Rising from his chair since she ignored his gesture to sit down. "Especially those I don't have business connections with."

"Because we both know how much you trust people, and my father's involvement with 'anyone' you don't know would warrant your curiosity just to make sure that person doesn't have any ulterior motive for getting personally involved with your senior plant manager."

"May I ask, why the sudden interest in Nancy?" Lex asked, slightly segueing from the direction she was leading him into. The fact is, she was right. Lex had Nancy investigated the same day Gabe returned to Smallville with her in tow. But he wasn't about to admit that to Chloe.

"It only seems sudden to you because you've known about her all along, whereas I just found out about this relationship a few days ago. Apparently, they've been together for a few years now, and my dad never told me."

He could see her control slipping with each breath. Her eyes filled with a hurt expression, her lip trembled slightly before she grabbed it between her teeth. He turned to glance at his desk before leaning back on it. Her biting on her lip had always been alluring to Lex. But he knew that by the time she showed that tell tale sign of losing her composure, she already had pooled on her inner strength, determined to not let her emotions get the better of her.

"And you blame Nancy for that?" he asked, probing just that little bit more.

"My father never kept anything like this from me before. I want to know who she is, what she wants, and how she 'thinks' she's going to use my father to get it!"

"They've been together for five years, Chloe. They're happy, there's nothing amiss between them."

She stared at him for a long moment, her eyes searching his for some kind of understanding. All she found was his impassiveness. "Of all the people I know, I thought you would understand," she said softly, not hiding her disappointment. "Obviously I was wrong. I'm sorry I bothered you. I'll show myself out."

"I didn't say I wouldn't help, Chloe," he called after her as she headed toward the door. She paused and turned around to face him, her eyes sparked slightly of hope. "But I want something personal in return."

She closed her eyes, slightly shaking her head. "I don't believe this," she whispered more to herself.

"Believe what? I haven't told you what I want yet. You may find my offer acceptable."

"I doubt that very much," she replied with mild conviction, meeting his gaze. "All I want are some answers, Lex," she said, her tone softening. "I don't live on the edge of a blade anymore, not knowing if I'll get myself killed for a story or not. I left all that behind when I left Smallville."

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?" he snickered, his eyes shining with amusement.

"I don't care if you believe me or not," she replied. "If I still had the resources I used to have, I wouldn't be here now asking you for help."

"Then you might want to hear my proposal."

She didn't want to agree to anything with him, but she wanted answers. She should have expected him to make this difficult, but she thought, for her, he would give her a break from his 'Luthorness'. "Why can't you make this easy for me, Lex? Why does everything have to have a stipulation?"

He smirked at her, raising his brows slightly. "Surely you know me well enough than to have to ask me that, Chloe."

"What do you want?" she conceded.

"Two weeks."

"Excuse me?"

He let a smile show freely as her facial expression matched perfectly with her spoken words. "I'll elaborate."

"Yes, please do, because that was extremely vague."

"I want you to stay here with me for the next two weeks."

"Oh, that's low, Lex. I am definitely sorry I came here today. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a schedule to keep." Turning toward the door.

"I assume Gabe finally told you about Nancy because of the upcoming wedding?"

She froze, feeling like her life was caving in around her. "What do you want from me, Lex?" she asked with exasperation, turning to face him.

"I want our friendship back," he stated decisively.

"Friendship... 'what' friendship, Lex?! I honestly don't remember anything remotely resembling a friendship with you."

"You don't remember the times I've supplied you with information for the Torch, or the rides home when your car broke down? How about the nights you stayed in my own home when you didn't have anywhere else to go for fear of your life. None of those acts were out of friendship?"

She had never considered any of those things from Lex being anything other than 'Luthor' motivated. It never occurred to her that he might have been trying to be her friend at all.

He continued while she absorbed what he was saying. "There was a time when we shared a mutual respect for one another. Conversation with you was always challenging if not informative. We became friends, Chloe, whether you want to acknowledge that or not. I thought I made that more than apparent just before you left Smallville. I want that again."

"You want a lot, Lex," she replied barely above a whisper. "I'm not sure I can give you that."

"Oh, you could," he said with conviction. "The question is, will you?" He watched as she mulled it over in her mind, knowing he was asking a lot from her, but not willing to let her go without trying. "Think it over," he added suggestively. "You know where to find me if you need anything."

She turned once again for the door. Her legs felt like lead. The last thing she would've expected just happened. Lex wanted her in his life, right back in Smallville. With an inner strength she hadn't had to use in a long time, she forced her legs to work and walked out of the mansion, leaving Lex to wonder if she would be back or not.

~

Chloe's mind raced as she drove away from the mansion. A small pang of guilt went through her when she had to actually think of how to get to her father's house. Funny how she found the mansion without a second thought. Her mind wandered back to her conversation with Lex. She didn't want to stay in Smallville, she didn't want to be his new best friend, she didn't even want to contemplate why he wanted her around at all.

When she left Smallville, it was for good. She kept in touch with a few people, mostly on birthdays and at Christmas time, but other than that she wanted nothing but the life she created for herself in Gotham. She felt at home there, she made some friends, and she didn't have to worry about meteors or freaks, or friends with such a hidden secret that billionaires would kill to get it.

She had matured a lot these past few years, but not as much as she had those last two years of high school, they had definitely been her growing years. After finally separating herself from Lionel Luthor, she had had enough. Her life had been threatened one too many times, she had come too close to figuring out Clark too often, only to be left in the dark with nothing to show for it except hurt feelings and wounded pride. And her involvement with Lex had become slightly complicated.

He called it a friendship, she saw it as a sort of business arrangement with no strings and nothing in writing. He helped her more times than she was willing to admit, she in turn went to him with anything she thought would be useful information to him. But Clark had betrayed him once too many times too, and Chloe noticed the difference in how he revered her afterward. How he looked at her, how he purposely stepped close to her during a conversation just to be that much closer. Many times she thought he was going to touch her, and she wasn't sure if she would have minded.

Then one night she got her answer. She had gone to him with imperative information concerning his father. It was very late at night, and she insisted that he be woken up. Enrique finally gave in and went to tell Lex she was there.

He entered his office donning only pajama bottoms, his chest bare, his robe hanging open with the ties hanging by his sides. He repeatedly wiped at his sleepy eyes while she spoke to him, trying to focus on the document she shoved in his face to look at.

She hadn't been able to keep her eyes off him, which he noticed with no problem. He tossed the folder aside and stepped in close to her. She lost her breath, the thought of stepping back hadn't entered her mind. He cupped the side of her face, and brushed her cheek with his thumb. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. Before reason returned she felt his lips on hers.

Her eyes had popped open, her body jolted with surprise, and yet she still hadn't stepped back from him. He deepened the kiss, and she leaned into him, meeting his tongue with hers to duel languidly, exploring each other's mouths.

He broke the kiss to look down at her flushed face. She stared back at him with wide eyes, her breathing labored. He dipped his head down for another taste when her senses kicked in full force, and she backed away from him before he could touch her again.

She informed him that she was leaving Smallville as she continued to back up toward the door, and wished him luck with his battle against his father. She turned and walked out with the mental imprint of him standing there with his robe open, his bare chest, his eyes darkened with desire, and his lips curled with a knowing smirk.

She ran to her car, breathing hard as she sat behind the wheel. She wanted to go back in, she wanted to feel his lips on hers again, his hand on her face. She wanted to know what he would feel like positioned on top of her, his mouth at her neck, his hands roaming over her body.

She shook her head vigorously, shoving those thoughts from her mind. It was late, she was tired, he had been only half awake. That's what she told herself to rationalize what had just happened. Sleep deprivation at its finest.

She drove home, showered, changed, and finished packing her stuff to leave the next day. She waited for everyone to go to the graduation ceremony, hugged and kissed her dad, and drove down the near deserted streets of Smallville with the intent to never come back. She created a nice, comfortable life for herself in Gotham. And only in the dark lonely hours of a blue moon did she think about a goodbye kiss from Lex Luthor.

She was confused by Lex's request to stay with him in return for information. It's been seven years, why would he want her with him? Surely he couldn't 'possibly' remember that last night. He was Lex Luthor, billionaire tycoon who finally won the battle with his father, when the bastard died. He had been in multiple marriages, and divorces. He owned, for all intense and purposes, more than half of Metropolis, what could he possibly want from her?

She pushed it from her mind to focus on the real reason she was back in Smallville, her father. She felt hurt and betrayed by her dad for not telling her about Nancy. She felt stupid for not finding out about her sooner, though in her own defense, it's not like she had any reason to snoop into her dad's life. He told her he was doing fine, she never thought of what he might have meant by that.

There 'had' to be something about this woman that would make her dad keep such a thing from her. There just 'had' to be! And Chloe swore to find out what it was.

She pulled into the driveway of Gabe Sullivan's house and took a deep breath before heading towards the door. Reaching for the knob, the door swung open wide from the other side while a house full of people yelled, "Surprise!"

She was taken aback and stared blankly through the opened doorway. Someone took her by the arm and pulled her into the house, hugging her exuberantly.

"Chloe, I've missed you so much!" Gina greeted.

She returned the other woman's hug, slowly coming out of her shock. "It's great to see you too, Gina!" she said, pulling back to look at her. She glanced around the room until her eyes lit on her dad.

"Daddy."

She went to him with her arms opened wide. Seeing him in person made things a little better. It gave her hope that this entire mess could be sorted out as he took her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

"I didn't mean for you to find out like this, Chloe, I swear I didn't."

"It's ok, daddy," she smiled up at him. "We'll just figure out how to deal with it, ok?"

"I knew you'd understand."

"Hey, best friend in waiting here!" Pete exclaimed from her side. "Or don't I rate that title anymore?"

"Of course you do," she smiled, turning to hug Pete. He picked her off the floor and swung her around within his grasp of a bear hug. He returned her feet to the floor just in time for someone else to come up to her to give her a hug and say hello.

It seemed as though the entire town was there, and she was hugged and greeted by everyone. The house was full of people as well as the outside deck and back yard, where there was a grill barbequing, ice chests full of beer, and enough food for everyone. She made herself a platter of food in between talking with one person after another.

Within a couple of hours she was filled in on all the latest gossip, who got married, who got divorced, who had another baby, and who was due to have another. She noticed however that no one mentioned Clark, and the absence of his parents almost hurt. Chloe realized how detached she had become from the people in this town, and made a mental note to change that.

She excused herself from her conversation with Pete and his wife Gina, to head for the bathroom. Walking down the hall she saw a woman step into the hall from said room. She didn't need introductions to know who she was, it was Nancy without a doubt.

"Chloe," she voiced with a pleasant smile. "It's so nice to finally meet you, your dad talks about you all the time. He is so relieved that you agreed to come to our wedding. He really worried that you wouldn't accept that he would want to remarry."

"Funny, my dad never mentioned you to me at all." Chloe replied bitterly. "I wonder why that is. Maybe it could have something to do with the fact that you've been filling his head with bullshit? Because my dad never kept anything from me, until he met you."

"I see he hasn't explained everything yet."

"I don't believe there's anything to explain. But I'll explain something to 'you'. I will find out everything there is to know about you, mark my words. By the time I'm done, I'll know how old you were when you took your first baby step. So whatever type of influence you've had over my dad all these years, is going to come to an abrupt halt."

She pushed past the woman and entered the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind herself. Resting her head against the back of the door, she was convinced more so than ever that there was something 'not right' with that woman. She refused to look Chloe in the eyes, she smiled too perfectly, her voice was too pleasant, her eyes were too green. No, there was something not right and she 'would' find out what it is.

Leaving the bathroom a few minutes later, Chloe entered the living room to see her dad holding the woman in his arms, comforting her as she cried into his shoulder. He turned his head and glanced at Chloe, the expression on his face clearly asked, 'how could you do this?'

Chloe glanced around the room to be met with uncomfortable glances from her so called 'friends'. She grabbed her purse and keys from the table where she had left them and walked out. She got in her car and drove off as the tears fell down her cheeks. How could her dad do this to her? How? That woman, is how! It's 'her' fault!

"That bitch is going to pay, and pay dearly, for interfering with my dad!" Chloe swore venomously as she raced down the street.

~

She arrived back at the mansion with determination. Her car skid to a halt, kicking up dust as she grabbed her bags and headed for the door. After Enrique let her in, she paced the vestibule with her small suitcase in her hand waiting for Lex to appear from upstairs.

"Whatever you want, you got it," she announced before he was even half way down the steps.

"I gather you didn't appreciate the surprise party," he smirked, reaching the bottom step.

"The party was fine. That bitch my father 'thinks' he's going to marry is another story," she spat, putting her case down to fold her arms across her chest.

"Come upstairs to my office and we can talk," he replied seriously, gesturing for her to step before him up the stairs. She complied and entered the room he called an office with familiarity. "Would you like a drink?" he offered as he followed her into the room.

"No, I'm fine."

"Somehow I don't think that is wholly the truth, or you wouldn't have agreed to my terms so easily."

"I've dealt with much worse than you before. I doubt there's anything you'd want from me that I can't handle. Compared to everyone else in this pit, you're like a haven."

She plopped bodily into one of the leather chairs, exhaled deeply, then rested her head against the back of the chair. Closing her eyes, she took a more relaxing breath.

He watched her intently for a moment before replying, "I'm only a haven for those I'm close to, Chloe, and no one else."

"Did I miss something?" she asked, opening her eyes. "Was I blind to some sort of attraction from you or something? And I mean a real attraction, not that freaky moment that happened the night before I left seven years ago."

He smirked slyly before answering. "I'll show you to a guest room so you can get some sleep."

"Why don't you just answer my question, Lex?"

He stared at her for a moment, deciding which course of action would be to the best of his advantage. "I never allowed myself to have an attraction towards you other than as a friend."

"You didn't 'allow' yourself?" she asked with raised brows, rising slowly from the chair. "So if I showed an interest in you right here, right now, my clothes would be dropped to the floor, and I wouldn't be using a guest room?"

"You would use a guest room regardless of your state of dress. You are a beautiful woman, Chloe, but that's not what I'm asking of you. I'm still revered as my father's son, even though he's been dead for five years," he added with a touch of resentment. "And I'm sure you noticed that I wasn't at your welcoming party."

"I thought that was because I had seen you before hand."

"I wasn't invited," he stated simply. "But that also tells me," he continued, moving to stand closer to her. "That you came directly to me from the airport. You hadn't even met Nancy yet."

"And your point is...?" she prompted, holding his gaze with guarded eyes.

"My point is that maybe you 'want' to find something horrible about Nancy because you don't like the idea of your father having a woman in his life other than you."

"That is absolutely absurd! He's my dad, Lex, of course I would want him to have someone to share his life with and be happy. But since I met Nancy at the party, I like her even less than I did before. There is definitely something wrong with her, and I want you to find out what it is."

"I'll get my investigators started on it immediately."

"Good. Now explain to me exactly what I have agreed to for you to be so compliant."

"You've agreed to stay here, with me, for two weeks."

"And do what? Verbal judo ourselves to death?"

He smiled at her, and touched her shoulder briefly as he walked passed her toward the door. "I'm sure we can work out the small details as we go."

She followed him with her eyes as he stepped into the hall. She had a bad feeling about this, but followed his lead to a guest room anyway. Further down the hall on the second level he stopped before a room, turned, and gestured for her to enter. The door was already opened, and the light was on inside. She stepped into he room to find the sheets turned down, the windows opened to air it out, and her suit case sitting at the foot of the bed.

"Someone obviously had the foresight that my decision would have been a definite yes," she commented, eyeing her case. Then turned her head to look at Lex over her shoulder.

"A correct assumption, it seems. We'll talk more over breakfast. Good night, Chloe."

"Wait a minute, Lex," she called after him, rushing to the door.

"In the morning, Chloe," he stated firmly. "We can discuss everything after we both get some sleep."

She watched with dropped jaw as he closed the door between them. She spun around and stared at the bed. She was definitely going to have to get used to him all over again, because her come back skills were seriously lacking. Then a smile formed on her lips. Lex had always been able to keep her mind sharp. He was also one of the few people she's ever met who could challenge her. She hadn't realized how much she missed that until now.

She picked up her case and placed it on the bed, opened it, and took out her night clothes. She changed and climbed into the bed, settled herself under the sheets, and let her head sink into the puffy pillow to wait for sleep to over take her.

~

(first night)

Somewhere in the mansion, Chloe heard the very faint, distant chime of a grandfather clock announcing that it was midnight. With a heavy sigh she got out of the bed, and went to the door. She stepped into the hall then, as an after thought, returned inside the room and grabbed her robe, then headed back out again.

Tip-toeing in her bare feet, she found her way to the pantry and helped herself to some coffee. 'I can't sleep anyway, might as well at least enjoy some java.' She thought to herself, taking a luxurious sip of the brew.

"Do you need assistance, Miss Sullivan?" a masculine voice asked from behind her.

Chloe jumped, spilling her coffee on the table in the process. She turned around to see Enrique. "You just scared the shit out of me!"

"My apologies," he replied, retrieving a towel from the counter to wipe up the mess. That done, he took her cup and proceeded to prepare another cup for her.

"Thank you," she said, as he placed the refill in front of her. "I suppose it was you I should thank for taking my suitcase upstairs?" He nodded acceptingly. "A little presumptuous of you, wasn't it?"

"I simply heard you agree to Mr. Luthor's terms, Miss Sullivan, and merely took the initiative to follow through with what would have been the next order to make you comfortable."

"You do your job well, don't you? I mean, is Lex even aware of half the things you oversee here?"

"Mr. Luthor is more attentive than you would imagine. But, there are a few minor things he needs not concern himself with, and that's what he pays me for."

She looked at the man with renewed respect and appreciation. "You've been with him through a lot, haven't you?"

"If you are referring to my term of service, I have been in Mr. Luthor's employment since his arrival in Smallville."

"That's not what I was digging at, and you know it. But ok, I'll let you slide on that one. Why don't you join me?" she asked, pushing at the opposite chair with her foot for emphasis. "If I'm going to be stuck here for two weeks I think I'd like to have someone other than Lex to talk to once in a while."

"Perhaps I will," he replied, motioning at the counter toward the coffee pot. "Though I find it interesting that you would drink coffee at this hour."

"Oh, Enrique, I drink coffee at any hour. It is definitely the liquid of the gods!" she grinned at him.

He smiled at her humor. "Then you don't mind my being outspoken?"

"'That' was being outspoken?" she asked, then made an amused snort sound. "Enrique, you have my permission to be as outspoken with me as you feel necessary."

"In that case, Miss Sullivan," he started saying as he seated himself across from her with his own cup of dark brew. "If I may inquire to your presence in the pantry in the middle of the night? Is the room not to your liking? Perhaps the bed is too soft? I realize the window sticks slightly, maybe it became too chilly?"

"No, no, no. Please stop!" she half laughed at him. "Do you 'ever' come out of servant mode?" He gave her a questioning look, though remained silent. "That was rhetorical, by the way. No, Enrique, the room is fine. Trust me, I had no idea that the window sticks or anything else. I just have trouble sleeping in strange places," she shrugged. "No other reason." She picked up her coffee and sipped at it.

"I see," he stated, taking a sip from his own cup, then replacing it to the saucer. "Well, I've heard that you have done very well for yourself in Gotham City. Will you be returning there after your stay, or have you decided to move back to Smallville permanently?"

"Wow, you go right for the nitty-gritty, don't you?" she asked with a gleam in her eyes and an impressed smirk on her lips. "The truth is, I expected to be back in Gotham by nightfall tonight," she wrinkled her brow in thought, remembering it was past midnight. "Last night, whatever." Waving her hand dismissively. "As you can see, that didn't happen."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor can be very persuasive."

"Lex?" she chuckled. "Well, I suppose he can be, but he's not the reason I missed my flight this afternoon."

"None the less, it was by his suggestion that you have extended your stay."

"Ok, what are you getting at? I know you work for the man, but what are trying to tell me?"

"Nothing at all, Miss Sullivan. I'm simply making idle conversation," he answered with an innocent expression. "What exactly does the hired help talk about with their employer's friends?"

"And there's that 'friend' mention again," she retorted under her breath. She looked over at him questioningly. "Why, exactly, would you refer to me as his friend, Enrique?"

His eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise before his expression returned to his normal, near impassive, one. "It's by my understanding that you have shared mutual interests in the past, and if I may be so bold..."

"Yes, you may be bold. What? say it?!" she almost shouted when he paused too long.

"I seem to recall a fondness between you both that I have not seen Mr. Luthor have with anyone else. Hence my personal opinion of you being considered a friend."

"Boy, you really tip-toed around that one, didn't you?"

"And if you'll please excuse me," he added, ignoring Chloe's comment, he rose from the chair. "I must retire for the evening. I trust you will be alright until you retire?"

"Yea, I'll be fine. Thanks." She knew she wasn't going to get the man to elaborate, at least not that night anyway. "Oh, and Enrique?" she called over her shoulder. "I know it's in the job description and all, but you don't have to call me Miss Sullivan 'all' the time. If Lex isn't around, just call me Chloe, ok?"

"I'll do my best. Good night, Chloe."

"Good night, Enrique."

She helped herself to two more cups of coffee while wandering around in the library for an hour or so. Lex's book collection was impressive if not elaborate. She found it interesting how he merged new technology with original antiques, and she wasn't necessarily referring to just the books. The room definitely had Lex's touch surrounding the ambiance of the old library.

She found herself stifling yet another yawn, and headed for the stairs to her room. There would be enough time to really have a look around later. Once in her room, she slipped back into bed, and turned off the light. With a settling sigh, she closed her eyes and hoped to get some sleep.

Fifteen minutes after Chloe's breathing became steady the door to her room cracked open just an inch or two. The light from the hallway washed over her sleeping features for a moment before the door was silently closed again.

Reassured that she was finally asleep, Enrique quietly went to Lex's room, peeked in on him in the same manner, then returned to his own chambers wondering if Chloe would notice if he switched her horrid brew to decaf, hopefully putting her on a schedule that would better suit his own.


	2. Chapter 2

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 2

(Day one)

"This can't possibly be a normal morning at the Luthor Estate," Chloe commented at the breakfast table. She noticed how the staff shuffled around with urgency, supplying the two diners with a full breakfast, starting with piping hot coffee, and almost tripping over themselves in the process.

"Is there something not to your liking?"

"No, everything is fine, perfect in fact." She glanced up at Lex from across the table. "A little too perfect. How did you know what I like for breakfast, Lex?"

He met her questioning eyes for a long thoughtful moment. "The information was in a report."

"A report?" she asked. Her tone was calm with just a touch of incredulousness. "You've had me followed?"

"Absolutely," he admitted freely. "I wanted to make sure none of the 'troubles' you had here in Smallville followed you."

She snorted disbelievingly, shaking her head at his audacity. "I don't believe you! You actually have the balls to give me this ridiculous ultimatum to spend time with you when you've been watching me, spying on me, all these years! You deserve to be alone! Do you know that? And you expect me to '_want_' to be your friend?" Her voice gained volume as she spoke.

He dropped his linen napkin to his plate, his appetite suddenly diminished. He took a risk in being honest with her, hoping she would understand his intentions were merely to protect her. Well, at first at any rate. By the time he felt she was safe and secure in her new life, he didn't want to give up the contact. He wanted to know about her feisty episodes with her employers, he wanted to make sure the men she involved herself with were upstanding, he wanted to be a part of her life, and those reports were the only way he could accomplish that.

She threw her napkin on the table, the chair screeching backwards on the hardwood floor as she rose to her feet. "You can shove your ultimatum up your ass, Lex, I don't need you for anything." She stormed from the table, then paused at the doorway. "And I better not find out that you continue to have me followed. I'll be watching you from now on, Luthor. You just made a big mistake."

"The bitch is back," he commented under his breath.

"WHAT?" she spat incredulously from behind him at the doorway.

His head snapped around to his shoulder. He would have sworn she had left the room. He chuckled without humor at being caught voicing a thought aloud. Rising from his chair he turned to face her.

"You think I've done you some injustice by making sure you were safe, that you landed on your feet, that you were happy. I never interfered, I merely observed from the sidelines of your life."

"That is invasion of privacy, Luthor! And what the hell gives you the right to call me a bitch? I have never been anything but cordial or at least polite toward you!"

An amused smirk formed on his lips suddenly. "And the reason you're upset about this, ...is?" he asked with raised brows. "You know what I'm capable of. You also know to what lengths I will go for those I consider a friend, so why exactly are you so irate that I've watched you from afar?"

"Because I don't get the feeling that having your attention is necessarily a good thing, Lex. Chalk that up to previous experience."

"Perhaps," he remarked thoughtfully. "But wasn't my attention the first thing you sought upon your arrival in Smallville?"

"Don't you dare try to change things around," she seethed.

"I'm not trying to change anything. I'm merely stating the obvious. I was the first person you contacted upon reaching Smallville. I was also the one you returned to when no one else stood by you. Reconsider my offer, Chloe, and at the end of two weeks you will never have to see me again."

"And you'll stop following me?" she asked with hard eyes. "No more reports? No more sideline observations?"

His jaw worked ever so slightly while he considered her demand. "Whatever you want."

"I want you to say it," she pushed. He glanced away from her briefly. She stepped up to him and took his chin between her fingers, forcing him to look at her. "I want you to say it, and mean it, Lex!"

He pulled his head back, breaking the contact she forced on him, and gazed up at her with a coldness in his eyes. "Once you leave Smallville you will no longer exist as far as I'm concerned, if that's what you want."

"That, is exactly what I want." She backed away from him before turning towards the door. "I'll get my coffee at the Talon," she threw over her shoulder. "In the meantime, I suggest you review some of your reports and remind yourself who you're dealing with." She paused in the doorway and turned to look at him. "And if you '_ever_' call me a bitch again, you will find out exactly how well I can take care of myself."

XxXxX

Lex found himself pacing the room again, wondering where she could be. It was nearly four thirty, and still Chloe hadn't returned. He had spent the better part of the day rescheduling his appointments for the next two weeks to accommodate her spending time with him.

He knew she hadn't changed her mind and left Smallville, he checked with every possible venue she would have access to leave by, and her rental car had been spotted around town throughout the day until an hour ago. He turned from the window and reached for his phone on the desk to see her standing in the doorway. She had two more pieces of luggage by her side and an armful of newspapers.

"Let's get one thing straight," she began saying, walking into the room to toss the papers on his desk. "I '_can_' slip past your watchful eye at any given time. Those are today's papers from Gotham, and while I was at it I packed more clothes for my extended stay."

He felt his jaw flex tightly in response to her words, to her proof, that someone on his payroll hadn't done their job. She had led him on a chase and wasn't anywhere near where he thought she had been. "We have a mutual agreement, Chloe, that doesn't make you a prisoner under my thumb."

"But it irks you none the less that I wasn't in Smallville today when you thought I was." She leaned over the desk to lessen the space between their faces. "You couldn't trust my word that I would return to you, yet you expect me to trust that your intentions are honorable? Well, I'm standing right here, fully packed for two weeks. What do you have for me in return?"

"I'll have information for you in the morning," he replied with dead pan seriousness, grateful that the folder he had with Nancy's information in it wasn't on his desk.

"You're not off to a good start, Lex. We both know you get results when you snap your fingers. I suggest you start snapping." She pushed away from the desk, turning to head out of the room.

"I need you to accompany me to Metropolis tonight," he announced calmly.

"You're kidding me, right?" she exclaimed, turning around to face him. "You try following me after I explicitly told you to stop, you have no information for me whatsoever, and yet you expect me to go '_where_' with you?"

"I trust you have something suitable packed?" he stated more so than asked, ignoring her rant. The expression on her face became completely incredulous. "You know I'll have information tomorrow. In the meantime, your two weeks, par our agreement, started today. I'm willing to ignore your not being with me since breakfast, if you accompany me tonight."

"As far as I see it, you get some information for me first, '_then_' we will discuss how you want me to dress, and I'll follow on your arm wherever you want to go, and not a minute before!"

"Is that what you told Daniel Starks?"

"How did you find out about that?" Paling at him knowing about her involvement with Daniel Starks. "He reassured me that no one would ever know about our affair."

"Ironically, that information came to me quite by accident. I was dealing with Starks, and had him followed after he cut a meeting short to meet with another associate. Since my father was still alive at the time I naturally suspected him to be the other associate. Imagine my surprise when I was informed otherwise."

"It wouldn't matter, you know," she rebuffed indignantly. "No one would give a damn about that, it's old news. Starks is old news."

"I would say so considering he's dead. But you have to admit, he fed you some print worthy information about Gotham's social elite. Some of which I'm sure is better left forgotten."

She stared at Lex, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. She hated him. Hated the mistakes she had made that came back to bite her in the ass. Unfortunately, Daniel wasn't a mistake in her book, she had actually started to care for him. Until she found out about his ties to the darker side of Gotham's society, and the fact that his wife was very much alive and well, despite her belief otherwise.

"What time do you want to leave?"

XxXxX

"I appreciate you going with me tonight, Chloe. I just want you to know that."

"I can't believe you resorted to blackmail! You used blackmail on me, Lex! ME!"

"You left me no other choice," he shrugged.

"No, of course not. Most people would try the guilt trip with multiple, 'please, please, pleases'. Others with more finesse would have went for the promise of how much fun I would have and make the evening sound so endearing how could I possibly not want to go. And then there's the old line, 'do you remember all the times I've done things for you', but that borderlines on the guilt trip."

He quietly listened to her ranting for his wrong choice of persuasion to get her to accompany him. She had refused to go, and Lex did what came natural to him to get what he wanted. He used blackmail. He strongly regretted it now, realizing that she had a point, he could have used other means. If only he had thought of them before hand.

"But you know what grates me the most?" she continued heatedly. "That of all the things you could possibly know about, you picked '_that_' incident to threaten me with! And I honestly don't give a shit if everyone finds out about it or not, but if all I have to do is dress up and be your Barbie doll at some stuffy banquet to keep your mouth shut, then so be it!"

She grew suddenly quiet sitting next to him in the limo. Glancing over at her, Lex became slightly uncomfortable. Something else he wasn't used to. Despite her unwillingness to go with him, and her reluctance to allow him to blackmail her, she had dressed very complimentary for him.

Her evening gown fit her beautifully, enhancing her every curve without revealing too much. Her hair was fixed stylishly, her makeup perfect. In short, she looked radiant. If only he could take away the angry flare from her eyes, then having her by his side would be worth every ounce of his idle threat of her involvement with Starks.

"Driver," he announced suddenly. "Turn around and head back to Smallville." The limo instantly slowed to follow his orders.

"What are you doing?" Chloe asked with confusion. "We're more than halfway there."

"I don't want the next two weeks to be a living hell," he began to explain. "I want your company, and your friendship, and obviously I went about getting both the wrong way tonight. We'll return to the mansion and tomorrow morning we can start fresh, each of us having something to offer the other, as we both agreed upon in the first place."

She stared at him as the limo made its turn around. He looked uncomfortable and extremely out of place. "Now that sounds like someone I'd like to be friends with."

He glanced at her, and gave her a half smile before diverting his eyes. _'At least the angry flare is gone_.' He surmised to himself.

XxXxX

(second night)

Lex had been tossing and turning for at least an hour. It bothered him that he allowed himself to be swayed from attending the board member's dinner. He had several deals in the balance and just his presence would have sealed them all quite nicely. Losing money wasn't in his forte, yet gaining Chloe's trust had been more pertinent at the time. She was allowing herself to be a reluctant pawn in his life, knowing that he would get more out their deal than she would. He honestly didn't understand why she agreed to stay.

He rolled over and reached for the small bottle on the night stand, something that had become a necessity for him to get any sleep what-so-ever. His life had become all work and no play, not that he played all that much before, but he used to have people to share some leisure time with. He hadn't realized how far he had distanced himself, how recluse and untouchable he had become, until Chloe showed up at his door.

The contact of her hand on his face the day before had been such a shock that he almost physically pushed her away. No one has touched him in a very long time, and a part of him ached for her to do it again, albeit in a gentler manner.

Needing some water to swallow the pills, he rose from his bed, and slipped into his private bathroom. Without turning on a light, he reached for the glass by the side of the sink, simultaneously turning on the faucet. But, instead of his fingers wrapping around the tumbler, he hit it with the back of his hand, causing it to crash to the tiled floor in a spray of shattering glass.

He inhaled deeply with a trembling breath. Closing his eyes, he simply leaned on the sink with both hands. He wiggled his toes he felt the shards around his feet, and was tempted to simply walk across the broken pieces, not caring if he got cut or not. It would serve him right for being careless.

The light above him suddenly clicked on, flooding the room brightly. If he hadn't had his eyes closed he definitely would have been rendered temporarily blind. "Thank you, Enrique," he said tiredly, not opening his eyes to look at his servant. "It seems I'm having another bad night."

"It's going to get a lot worse if you move."

His head whipped around at the feminine voice, his eyes fully open and alert. Chloe stood in the doorway with her robe pulled tightly around herself, her hair slightly mussed, and her eyes puffy and bloodshot.

"Just stand still, I'll get something to clean that up."

"You don't have to," he said after her, but she ignored him and kept going. Within a few short minutes she returned with Enrique in tow. The man immediately bent at Lex's feet to sweep away the broken glass.

"I woke him up trying to find the dust pan," Chloe explained regretfully. "You have too many closets in this place," she added with a weak smile.

"You must be a light sleeper to have heard this from your room," Lex offered as an apology for waking her up.

"Don't worry about it, I wasn't asleep anyway."

Enrique had cleared enough of the shards for Lex to step away without getting cut. He lightly brushed off the top of his feet of any possible fragments, then gingerly stepped from the area to meet Chloe at the door. She backed away as he approached to let him walk past her.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, turning on his bedside lamp. "Is there anything you need?" he questioned while settling himself on the edge of his bed.

"I'm fine," she replied with a shrugged. "I just have trouble sleeping in strange surroundings." She gave him another weak smile and pulled her robe tighter around herself. The truth was that she was having nightmares that had been long forgotten. Nightmares and memories of long ago came flooding back in full force just by being in Smallville. "Are you alright?"

He suspected that there was more to her explanation than she was telling, but let it slide. "I simply wanted a drink of water and dropped the glass," he replied waywardly.

"Right," she voiced, sounding unconvinced. Her eyes shifted to his nightstand, resting on the bottle of pills sitting there. "How much money did you lose by not going to Metropolis, Lex?" she inquired softly, her eyes shifting back toward him.

He smiled without feeling, rising to his feet. He should have expected for her to put one and one together. "A couple of small deals. It doesn't matter."

"You didn't have to, you know. You had me exactly where you wanted me. I wouldn't have embarrassed you, not in public at any rate," she added with a small smirk.

He returned the expression, raising his gaze to meet hers. "Would you like to get something to eat, considering neither of us are getting any sleep?"

"Ironically, that's where I was heading when I heard the glass break," she smirked at him.

She stepped back toward the hallway, letting Lex retrieve his robe from his closet. She stared at his back as he reached for his robe from its hook behind the closet door. She gave herself a mental shake to ignore the reaction his rippling muscles and smooth skin caused in the pit of her stomach. Glancing into the bathroom as a distraction a frown creased her brow at finding the room empty.

"Where'd Enrique go?"

"Most likely to turn on the lights downstairs and open the pantry."

He had noticed how her eyes inadvertently roamed over his bare chest and stomach while she spoke to him, and wondered if she realized she was doing it. Apparently she did and had found his servant's departure interesting enough to distract herself.

"I didn't see him leave," she commented, sounding completely perplexed.

He didn't answer, but gave her a knowing look. "Let's see what we can muster up in the kitchen, shall we?"

"Sure," she answered, wondering what his smirk was for. There was no way he could have seen her staring at his back, or her fleeting reaction to it. She turned around to glance over her shoulder as she followed him out of his room, just to double check that there was no mirrors or reflective glass that he could have seen her through. There wasn't.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked as she joined him in the hallway.

"Absolutely," she smiled at him.

The two strolled down the hallway side by side, one refraining from grinning his face off, and the other giving herself a headache trying to figure out what just happened.

XxXxX

Reaching the pantry, Lex pulled a chair out for Chloe to sit down at the small table only for her to ignore his gesture and head straight for the counter. Finding the coffee pot full with a fresh brew, she poured some for herself into the cup already set out for her. Turning slightly she addressed Lex.

"Can I safely assume you want some, too?" she asked, the coffee pot still in her hand.

"Yes, please."

He slowly lowered himself into the chair, slightly caught off guard, not only by how comfortable Chloe seemed moving about in the pantry, but also by how Enrique had obviously already become efficient concerning her needs.

He thought back to his previous wives and had to admit that it had taken his servant much longer than one day to become accustomed to their presence in the mansion. In fact, Lex couldn't recall the servant being so efficient toward any of his previous wives, not to this extent anyway.

His eyes shot towards Chloe when he realized how his mind had been comparing her to his previous wives as though she were the current holder of that title, his wife.

"You didn't hear a damn thing I just said, did you?" He blinked and briefly looked away from her, his mind still reeling. "Lex? Are you ok?" she asked, concern etched clearly on her face as she placed two steaming cups on the table.

"Yea, I'm fine." Meeting her gaze steadily. "I just remembered a business deal that needed my attention," he lied. "What was it that you asked me?"

"I asked how much sugar you wanted in your coffee," she replied, not sure whether to believe his answer or not. For a split second he had looked at her as though he had seen a ghost, but she let the subject drop. Whatever had monopolized his thoughts for those few seconds was obviously something important to him, and he wasn't about to share what it was with her.

"Two sugars, leveled off," he answered politely. He followed her movements as she went to the cabinets, opened one, reached in, grabbed the sugar bowl, then closed the door. "When did you become so acquainted with my kitchen?" Realizing she knew where everything she needed was located.

"I told you, I have trouble sleeping in strange places," she replied, spooning two sugars into his cup for him, then returned the sugar bowl to its proper place inside the cabinet above the counter.

He stirred his coffee slowly, watching her thoughtfully as she returned to the table. Seating herself across from him she took a sip from her own cup, meeting his gaze over the rim.

"What, I'm not allowed to make myself at home?" she voiced at his steady gaze in her direction, thinking it was because of her helping herself. "I wake up in the middle of the night and I want some coffee to calm my nerves, what's wrong with that? You go for Scotch, I go for caffeine. Or have you gotten rid of that indulgence?"

"I'll have a scotch on occasion, though not half as much as I used to." He took a sip from his cup, keeping his eyes on her.

"This isn't going to work if you do nothing but stare at me all the time, Lex."

"I find it intriguing how comfortable you seem in my home, yet you claim to have trouble sleeping. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

"As a matter of fact, there is something I would like to get off my chest," she said, watching his eyes closely to see if they shifted downward like so many men's eyes would at a female mentioning the word 'chest' in any given context. They didn't. He did, however, regard her with renewed curiosity, and waited for her to continue.

"I didn't know that Daniel Starks was married, Lex. I'm not apologizing for my involvement with him, or the fact that I had an affair with him for almost a year. But, I wanted you to know that I thought his wife had been killed in a car accident. In fact she was, I just didn't know that he had remarried."

"Chloe, I'm not interested in your past relationships, nor do I judge you for who you may have had those relationships with."

"Well, since that's what you chose as blackmail material..., I just wanted you to know."

He leaned forward and reached over to place his hand on top of hers on the table. "I appreciate you sharing that with me, but I want you to know that you don't have to explain yourself to me, ever."

His hand was warm on top of hers, the contact unexpected but nice. Her mind flashed to seeing his bare skin upstairs, how he looked leaning over the sink shirtless with bare feet. The thought of Lex Luthor, walking around barefoot definitely had an odd effect on her senses. With him sitting before her in his robe, the V of the material teased her even more. She had been fighting with herself to not think about the last time she saw him in his night attire. The night he had kissed her. She slowly pulled her hand from under his, breaking their contact.

"I've just made you uncomfortable," he stated, pulling his hand back to rest on the edge of the table in front of him.

"I'm just not used to being touched like that," she responded softly, diverting her eyes to stare into her coffee.

"Imagine how I felt when you grabbed my chin."

Her gaze darted to meet his. She hadn't thought twice about her doing that to him, she hadn't thought about it at all. Their eyes locked, each one reading the other clearly.

"I wanted your promise."

"And you got it. But be warned that you may get more than you bargain for if you do that to me again."

"Is that a threat?" she half chuckled at him.

"It's just a warning, Chloe, nothing more."

"I think I'll clean up and head to my room before we get into another shouting match." She rose from the table and turned off the coffee pot, dumping the left over liquid down the drain, and rinsed out the tumbler.

"Enrique will do that in the morning, Chloe." He knew she was busying herself just to put some space between them. He felt the way she had been looking at him, how her eyes transfixed at his neck line where his robe folded over. The trouble was, he felt the same way knowing she wasn't wearing much of anything under her own robe.

"I've disrupted that man's schedule enough as it is. He gets paid to clean up after you, not me. The least I can do is clean up after myself."

Lex stood from his chair, carrying the two cups to the sink, and placed them inside. "He gets paid to oversee that 'everything' in this mansion is as I would want it. That includes cleaning up after you too."

"Are you sure you want to argue about this with me? You're just itching for a good tongue lashing, aren't you?" She regretted her choice of words the second they were out of her mouth, especially when his eyes shifted to her lips. "You know damn well what I meant, Lex," she added gruffly, her eyes narrowing threateningly.

"Then I'll leave you to finish up," he stated with seeming indifference. "Good night, Chloe."

She didn't realize she had been holding her breath until he left the room and she found herself exhaling heavily. The look in his eyes had been captivating. The urge to touch him excruciating. She wanted to run her fingers down that small space of exposed skin above the robe, she wanted to remember what his lips felt like on hers, she wanted to say 'fuck it' and wrap her arms around his neck and feel his body fully pressed against hers. With extremely flushed cheeks, and uneven breaths, she finished cleaning up. When everything was washed, dried, and put in its place, she headed to her room.

Enrique stepped into the pantry after Chloe had left. He did a once over around the room with a critical eye and was impressed that Chloe actually finished her clean up after Lex had retired. Finding everything in order he glanced down the hallway, his hand resting on the light switch.

_'It's going to take more than decaf, it seems_,' he thought to himself. _'I wonder how long it will take before they realize they love each other._' He flicked the switch and ambled through the darkened room back to his own room. _'This is definitely going to be interesting.'_


	3. Chapter 3

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 3

(Day two)

Lex stepped into the solarium to find that Chloe had moved the devon closer to the clear glass windows, and was stretched out on the cushions with her feet hanging off the side of the arm.

"I was wondering if you had anything in particular planned for today."

"As a matter of fact, yes, and I'm doing it," she replied without opening her eyes.

"You planned on doing nothing?" he questioned, sounding as though he had never heard of such a thing.

"It's a rare luxury. Judging by my over flooded voice mail, everyone thinks I went back to Gotham, and I want to keep it that way for the time being."

She lazily stretched her arms high above her head, causing her shirt to slightly ride up her ribs. His eyes transfixed on her bared skin, suddenly wanting to touch her, to feel how soft she felt under his hands.

"So I'm your excuse to drop off the face of the planet, how convenient." He hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but he had to stop himself from letting his thoughts get away from him. He wanted to get to know her, not ravage her like she was some insignificant dalliance.

She opened her eyes and craned her head back to look at him upside down. His tone had been curt, sharp, and accusing. "Excuse me? You're the one who wanted me here. I'm simply making the best out of it."

He diverted his gaze to something insignificant. "I hadn't counted on you not wanting to be seen with me. You ran hell bent for the pantry when Gina came to discuss business this morning."

She frowned at him as she rose to a sitting position. "That has nothing to do with you, Lex," she said softly.

"Then what '_does_' it have to do with? One minute you're trying your best to accommodate your deal with me, if not at least humor me, the next you're detached and unapproachable."

"Do you '_really_' want to know what it's about?" she replied gruffly, getting to her feet to pace around the room as she continued. "It's about people pretending to be your friends, sharing personal things and secrets they supposedly don't tell anyone else, then when you need them to stand by you they miraculously disappear!" She stopped her pacing abruptly to pin him with a heated gaze. "THAT'S what this is all about! THAT'S why I don't want anyone to know I'm here! It has NOTHING to do with you!"

"Are you finished?" he asked calmly, having a feeling that she wasn't.

"No, I'm not! Since we're having this discussion, I also want to mention that I '_stupidly_' thought of actually reiterating my friendship with these people! They actually made me feel guilty for not keeping in touch with them! Can you believe that? And I almost fell for it! After all these years of swearing I would never come back here, always reminding myself why I left in the first place... '_this_' is why I left!"

He watched her pace in circles, ranting and raving about the unjustness of it all, and strategically allowed himself to smirk with humor whenever her back was turned in his direction.

"And don't think I can't see you secretly laughing your ass off, Luthor! Your eyes are just a shade too blue right now for you to be anything but amused! This isn't funny!"

Nothing could've stopped the smile that spread on his face at that moment. How easily she had forgotten exactly who she was talking to, ranting at actually. "I understand all too well, Chloe, and you're right, it's not funny at all."

She stared at him for a full minute, her ire clouding her rational senses. Slowly calming herself down she realized her mistake. He might have had an amused smirk on his face, but it wasn't toward what she was shouting about, it was aimed at her irrational behavior. If there was anyone that would understand her at that moment, it was Lex.

"Don't you have a company to overtake or something?" she quipped curtly, trying to change the subject before she embarrassed herself further. "I don't remember you having so much time on your hands."

"I've rearranged my schedule to accommodate your stay for the next two weeks," he said informatively, though his eyes still held his mirth. "I am, barring a few meetings, completely at your disposal."

He spread out his arms and bowed his head with exaggeration, his smile spreading broader on his face.

"You're impossible to talk to." Forcing herself to not smile at his shenanigans.

He knew he broke through the ice. Her eyes gleamed, and he caught the ever so slight twitch of a smile at the corner of her mouth just before she creased her brows with a frown.

"Conversation between us, Miss Sullivan, has never been impossible. Now all we have to do is think of a mutual past time that we both would enjoy."

_'Don't go there_.' She told herself with earnest. _'Don't go there!_' But, her mental chastise didn't work as she imagined him walking toward her, taking her in his arms, and kissing her thoroughly until she couldn't think straight. _'Damn, that was inevitable._'

She stared at him, her mind going into overdrive to think of something useful, other than sex. "I've always wanted to learn how to play pool," she blurted out of nowhere.

"Really?" he asked cynically, wondering what thought went through her mind before she came up with that one. Judging by the look in her eyes, it was along the same lines that his mind went. Having her in his bed, with her hands gliding down his back, her lips leaving butterfly kisses on his skin, and her moaning beneath him begging for more.

"No," she admitted. "But I'm trying, ok? Do you want to show me or not?"

"I'll show you whatever you want," he replied, making sure his innuendo wasn't lost to her as he headed for the door. He grinned with satisfaction when she diverted her eyes and licked at her lips. "Do you know anything about billiards?" he asked, stepping into the hallway.

"Besides hitting balls with a stick?" she asked rhetorically, purposely choosing those words. "No."

He knew what she was up to, and it wasn't going to work. He started walking down the hall, knowing she'd follow behind him. "There's a lot more to it, Chloe, than simply hitting balls with a stick, as you so eloquently phrased it. It has to do with precision, and skill," he paused at the room with the pool table, then turned to look at her. "Holding the 'stick' properly, along with having good aim, definitely has it's play in sinking a shot or simply chasing the balls around the table."

He turned and entered the room, leaving her alone in the hallway for a moment. _'Who would've thought that 'pool' could be so stimulating?_' "Well," she started saying, entering the room behind him with a bounce to her step. "When you put it that way, rack 'em up, and let's go for broke."

Lex glanced at her with a raised brow as he racked up the balls. "I thought you said you didn't know anything about billiards."

"I don't. But, I go to bars, Lex, and I've heard them say that before starting a game." She gave him an innocent look to further emphasize her words.

He believed that one as much as he believed that she quit journalism, which he knew for a fact she hadn't. Strolling over to the wall, he took two pool cues from the rack, then turned to hand her one. _'Let's see what she's made of_.' He thought, feeling challenged in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Shall I show you how to break?"

"Maybe you should show me what end of the stick to use," she said, turning the cue in her hands from top to bottom.

He froze and looked at her with a masked expression of disbelief, trying to decide if she was serious or not. She half turned to look over at him, twirling the cue in half circles like a baton.

"I'm kidding!" she laughed, recognizing the expression on his face as pure disbelief. "I can't believe you actually fell for that," she snickered, moving around the table to stand next to Lex in front of the cue ball. "Now, let me get this straight," she stated, lining up the cue ball for the breaking shot. "I hit this ball with the stick, to hit one of those balls, and get it to go into one of the holes."

"Generally speaking, yes," he replied, shaking off the uneasiness of her little joke. "Whichever ball you sink first determines if you are stripes or solids."

"Stripes or solids? What's that?"

He stared at her, not sure whether to fall for that same trick again, or if she honestly didn't understand. She waited expectantly for him to explain. "There are fifteen balls," he started to explain, gesturing to the balls in a triangular formation with his cue. "The first eight are called solids, or lows. Numbering from one to eight. The other seven are stripes, or highs. Numbering from nine to fifteen. The game I'll teach you now is called eight ball, which is the black one. The object is to sink all of your own seven balls, leaving the eight ball for last. That applies for both of us. If you sink the eight ball before the other seven, then you lose. Now, would you like me to show you how to break?"

"How do I know if I'm stripes or solids? Which one do I try to hit? They're all mushed together!"

"That's what the breaking shot determines," he explained again patiently. "Whichever ball you sink first determines if you are stripes or solids. If you don't sink any on the breaking shot, then its determined by which ball I sink first."

"Ok, I think I got it now," she said, leaning over the table to line up the cue with the cue ball.

"You can move the cue ball if you want."

"Move it where?" she asked, straightening up to look at him.

"Anywhere this side of that mark," he explained, showing her with his hand the invisible line across the table where the dot marked the felt. "Moving it to one side or another can give you a better break."

"Oh, ok."

She grabbed the cue ball and slid it along the felt to let it rest closer to the border of the table. Lex noticed how familiar she seemed to be with that simple movement, but didn't say anything.

She leaned over the table once more, the finger-tips of her left hand resting on the felt with the cue resting on the knuckle of her middle finger while loosely circling it with her index finger and thumb. Her right hand held the handle firmly enough to push it forward for her shot. Pulling the cue back, she see-sawed it between her finger and thumb, getting the alignment right, then forcibly hit the cue ball. The cue ball hit the triangle formation of balls with enough force to scatter them efficiently, knocking two solids into a corner pocket.

Without further ado, she strode around the table, and leaned over it to line up the cue ball with the seven ball. Making her shot, the seven fell into the side pocket. Moving again to the end of the table, she set her sights on the three ball. Leaning over the felt once more, she glided her hand loosely up and down the cue handle while lining up her shot, tightening her grip just before taking the shot. The three ball went straight into the corner pocket.

Shifting her position just slightly, she lined the cue ball with the five ball. Not hitting the cue ball as hard as she had before, she made her shot. The five ball hit the rim of the pocket, bounced off the border, and rolled to the center of the table.

She turned to look at Lex. "Like that?"

"You know how to play pool." He stated unnecessarily.

Watching her move around the table like a pro had made him feel really stupid for standing there explaining the game to her like a child. His discomfort grew, though for different reasons, when his eyes fixated on her right hand when it slid up and down the cue in a most seductive manner. Glancing at her face, she seemed to be unconscious of the motion, or his reaction to it, but then he had believed she didn't know how to play in the first place.

"Of course I do," she chuckled with a big grin on her face. "I had a boyfriend in Gotham who taught me. Wasn't that mentioned in your reports?" she asked him innocently. "Oh, and you're stripes, by the way."

"I've noticed," he replied tight lipped, moving around the table to take his shot. With quick precision, Lex sunk the eleven, the fourteen, and the nine balls before missing. Chloe was upping him by one, and it was her turn.

With a grin on her face, she moved around the table, setting her sights on the five ball again. Unfortunately, the cue ball was now in the center of the table and she couldn't get a good position for her shot. Without a second thought, she lifted her right leg up onto the table, careful not to hit any of the remaining balls, and rested her knee well onto the felt. Leaning into the position she steadied her cue, aimed her shot, and slammed the five ball down a corner pocket.

Lex watched, mesmerized, as she half straddled the table to make her shot. He wasn't sure what was worse, or better, the way her hand glided up and down the cue before every shot, or the image of her leg over the table with her ass half in the air. The urge to grab her by her hips and grind himself into her was almost tangible. Keeping his ever impassive expression, impossible.

Chloe looked over her shoulder at him after the five ball went into the pocket, and smiled devilishly. She knew what effect her getting half on the table for a shot had on her ex-boyfriend, but wasn't sure it would work on Lex. She was pleased to see that it did.

Climbing down, she circled completely around the table, then turned and circled back around the other way, looking like a predator stalking its prey. Finally choosing her next course of action, she bent over, and using the ten ball to hit the four ball, she got her shot. Looking over the table, she could see that sinking the six ball was nearly, if not totally, impossible the way the stripes were surrounding it. With a little smirk, she lined the cue ball in her sights and let loose, resulting in it hitting the thirteen ball, which bumped into the eight ball, causing it to roll closer to the corner pocket. The end result was that Lex now didn't have much of a clear shot either.

"Very crafty," he complimented in a dry tone.

"Thank you. I thought you'd appreciate that one."

Lex graced her with a smirk of his own as he lined up his shot, hit the cue ball with enough force for it to go all the way down the other end of the table, bounce off the border, return back to the center with enough momentum to hit the twelve ball, successfully sinking it in the side pocket.

He turned his eyes in her direction for a moment, while walking around the table with a purposeful stride, his smirk still in place. Coming around the other end, however, his expression changed to complete seriousness when he returned his attention to the game at hand. Leaning over the table, he set his sights on the thirteen, and sunk it without any room for error. Pausing briefly, he took in the position of the remaining balls on the table, then went after the fifteen ball, sinking it with a vengeance.

The cue ball rolled to stop in perfect alignment with the ten ball in front of the right corner pocket. Unfortunately for Lex, the eight ball was sitting behind the ten ball, in front of the hole. Chloe was grinning so hard she felt her face starting to hurt. There was no way he could make that shot work.

Lex confidently moved to lean over the felt, lining the cue ball to hit the border. Making his shot, Chloe's grin fell when the white ball bounced back at an angle, hit the ten ball hard enough to hit the border at the end of the table, then proceeded to roll toward the opposite side pocket.

Chloe watched with wide eyes as the ten ball slowly neared the pocket, then jumped up in the air with an exuberant, "YES!" when it stopped just shy of the rim.

"I wouldn't get too excited if I were you," Lex commented, pointing at the table with his cue.

Chloe's eyes followed his gesture to see the six ball resting quietly near the center of the table, the cue ball at the opposite end, and not in a good alignment to sink the damn thing at all. With pursed lips, and a determined scowl, she moved around the table, trying to figure out 'how' to sink that six ball.

She leaned the cue against the end of the pool table, flexed her shoulders, cracked her knuckles, and grabbed the pole once more. With her focus solely on sinking the six ball, she raised her knee to the table again, leaned her upper body on the felt, almost half laying on it. Her eyes hardened with determination, her expression dead set on the cue ball.

There was no wayward gliding of her hand on the cue handle, nor did her ass wiggle just slightly as it had before, she was in 'take no prisoners' mode, this was the determining shot as far as she was concerned, and she was going to make it work... somehow.

She pulled the cue back and released, sending the cue ball speeding to hit the border at the other end. It bounced back at a slight angle, grazed the six ball, causing the two balls to roll in a 'Y' formation away from each other. The six ball crept slowly towards the side pocket, reached the rim, teetered on the edge, then fell into the pocket in what seemed like slow motion.

Lowering herself from the table she looked at Lex with a cocky smirk and raised brows, as though she had planned that shot all along. She wasn't fooling him one bit, he knew that had been a lucky shot, pure and simple. With one ball left to win the game, Chloe rounded the corner, where the cue ball was aligned perfectly with the eight ball, in a diagonal line, to the right corner pocket. Not losing her focus, she aimed her shot, hit the cue ball dead center, and watched triumphantly as the eight ball went down the hole!

_'She just kicked my ass_.' He thought with bemusement, mentally keeping his expression void of any reaction what so ever.

"Would you like to play another round?" she asked, not even trying to hide her giddiness at beating him.

"Perhaps later, Chloe," he replied casually, returning his cue to the wall rack. "I have a conference call in ten minutes."

"I thought you said that you were completely at my disposal?" she grinned at him snarkily.

"I also mentioned, 'barring a few meetings'. This conference has to do with the deal I mentioned last night."

"Right," she voiced with skepticism. "Ok, Lex, whatever you say."

"Trust me, Chloe, we '_will_' have a rematch at another time."

"Whenever you're up to it, Lex," she grinned, following his lead to put the cue away as he headed to leave the room. He continued out the door as though he hadn't heard her.

She waited until he was well out of the room before turning her back to the door. In quick succession, she raised her right knee, while bending slightly, made a fist next to her head, and pulled in her elbow with a quick downward motion for it to stop at her hip. "YES!" she exclaimed, feeling like she could jump up and down.

XxXxX

Lex was walking down the main hallway of the second level when he saw Enrique exit one of the rooms ahead.

"Enrique," he addressed, causing the man to pause and turn around.

"In the den by the pantry, sir," he replied, not waiting for Lex to ask his question.

"Thank you." Turning on his heel, Lex headed for the stairs.

He found her where Enrique said he would, in the den. She was lounging on the sofa reading the file report he had given her concerning Nancy.

"Did you resolve your business problem?" she asked when he walked into the room, glancing up to acknowledge his presence.

"I need to go to the Talon," he stated directly, bypassing her question.

"Ok, have fun," she replied, letting him be vague, then returned her attention to the folder in her hands.

"I was hoping you'd go with me."

"Wasn't I clear enough earlier that I just want to relax for right now?" she asked lightly, looking up at him again. "That I don't want anyone to know I'm here? And I don't mean, '_here_' as in being with you, I mean '_here_' as in being in Smallville."

"You do realize the car you rented is in my driveway," he reminded her.

She stared at him as the realization came to her. She forgot about the rental car! _'Damn!_' "Do you think Gina noticed it this morning?" she asked hopefully, though wasn't expecting to hear what she wanted to hear.

"Considering it's parked right at the door, I'd say that's a definite possibility."

"Damn," she grimaced distastefully. "Ok, I'll go with you," she stated with a resigned sigh. She put the papers back into the folder and dropped it onto the coffee table. After standing up she headed for the door. "Let me get my jacket."

"I understand if you don't want to be seen with me, Chloe," he stated as she was walking past him. She stopped and turned to look up at him, leaving only about a foot of space between them.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I don't have a problem being seen with you, Lex. I just thought I would have a day or two to think about things, sort things out, before letting everyone know I was still in Smallville," she stepped closer to him, a broad grin on her face. "Besides, who else in this pit can keep me out of trouble better than you? I'm counting on you, Luthor, to not let me do something stupid," she finished, poking him playfully in the chest.

"And how would you suggest I do that?"

"You're creative. I'm sure you can think of something if the occasion arose." She smiled at him, then turned and left to go get her jacket.

He followed in her direction until he reached the stairs, where he continued towards the door. Retrieving his car keys from the table, he stepped outside to wait for her in the car.

XxXxX

"This is a new one," Chloe stated, referring to the car as she got in the passenger side. "When did you get it?"

"About seven months ago," he answered, putting the car in gear, and pulled out onto the driveway leading to the road.

"Do you even '_know_' how many cars you own?"

"Twenty-three."

Her brows went up in surprise. Not just at how quickly he answered her, but also at how defensive he sounded about it. "And you love every one of them, don't you?"

"Love's a strong word, Chloe. I just like having them in my possession. My cars have always been the one thing that I could enjoy without anyone giving me shit about it."

She looked at him silently, knowing he was referring back to when his father did whatever possible to make Lex miserable. Not even Lionel had messed with Lex's cars. Funny how she never realized that before now.

"Would you know how to change a flat if you had to?" she asked lightly, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

He glanced at her briefly, then smiled. "Technically, I know how to fix any given problem on all my cars. But I know how to call a mechanic more efficiently."

"So, in other words, why bother when you don't have to?"

"Something like that. Though it has more to do with seeing how people will try to screw you over when they think you're just a rich brat who's never gotten his hands dirty. I like having the upper hand, and prove them wrong."

"I doubt at this point in time people think of you as a brat, Lex."

"You might be surprised at what people think of me, Chloe."

The humor left her eyes, and she regarded him with a serious expression. "Well, I for one never thought of you as a rich brat."

"I didn't realize you thought of me much at all," he retorted sourly, then glanced at her. He hadn't meant to say that. "Except when you were investing me that is." He reiterated, trying to cover up his slip.

She wasn't sure how to respond to that without opening another can of worms, so she turned her head to glance out the window. They were already entering the town, no surprise with how fast he drives.

"If you don't mind, could we stop at the grocery store? I'd like to grab a pack of gum."

With a simple nod, he turned off the main street and parked in front of the grocery store.

"I'll be right back," she announced, getting out of the car.

Walking into the store she took a deep refreshing breath. _'That was definitely an unexpected reaction,_' she thought to herself while heading for the candy counter. She didn't want to think about why he would care one way or another about what she thought of him. Though, judging by his tone of voice, she had been more successful at hiding her attraction for him than she had thought.

Lex watched Chloe enter the store, mentally berating himself for giving away that it bothered him that she didn't care about him one way or another. She had 'literally' just started to warm up to him, what the hell was he thinking...

His thoughts were interrupted as Nancy pulled up to the curb in front of him, got out of her car, and headed straight for the grocery store. _'This isn't going to end well_,' he thought, and got out of his car to see if he could prevent a serious confrontation.

Chloe put her change into her purse, and stepped aside to open her pack of gum when the bells over the door chimed. Glancing up she recognized Nancy as she walked in. The woman looked in Chloe's direction, then quickly looked away, heading down the nearest food aisle. Chloe took a step forward to follow, when suddenly there was a hand at her elbow.

"Let it go, Chloe. At least for now," Lex stated, leaning close to her ear.

"What?" she asked innocently, turning her face up to look at him. "I was only going to say hello," she lied with a smile on her face. He held her gaze steadily, letting her know that he didn't believe her for one second. "I wasn't going to cause a scene, Lex," she growled in a whispered voice.

He glanced around the store, noticed they had gained a few people's attention, and tightened his grip on her arm, ushering her out the door.

"Lex!" she said with disbelief. "What are you doing? Let me go!"

He released her as soon as they were outside. "You told me you would count on me to keep you out of trouble," he said, walking around to the driver's side of his car. "I just did that. What you do from here is up to you, I'll be at the Talon."

He closed the driver's side door and started the engine. He put the car in reverse, backed it up to pull out of the spot, then looked over at Chloe, who stood exactly where he had left her, her expression unreadable. He turned his attention to the traffic and shifted gears to pull out when he felt her open the door and get in next to him. After she closed the door, he merged into the flow of traffic without saying anything. A few short minutes later he pulled in front of the Talon and turned off the ignition.

"Lex," Chloe called as he opened the door to get out. He paused and turned to look back at her questioningly. "I realize you were planning on feeding me small tidbits on Nancy throughout the next two weeks, but I need to have it all in one folder." She turned and met his gaze. "Please."

"You're convinced there's something to find about her, aren't you?" he asked.

"I'm convinced that if there is, you're the man who can find it."

"What if there is nothing to find, Chloe, then what?"

"Then I'll owe you for what you just did back there at the store."

He nodded and got out of the car, Chloe following suit, to walk into the Talon together.


	4. Chapter 4

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 4

"Wow," Chloe exclaimed after entering the Talon, looking around with an expression of awe. "You've really changed this around since Lana sold her half to Gina."

"Gina handled most of the changes herself, I merely financed the renovations," he replied casually.

"And I'll be in debt with him for the next two years," Gina half laughed, stepping from around the counter to greet them. "Chloe, I thought you went back to Gotham, until I saw your car at Lex's this morning," she added, hinting at being curious.

"My plans changed suddenly," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "But I really 'do' like what you've done to this place!" she reiterated, walking around, taking everything in. "And there's not one drop of pink anywhere," she added cheekily.

"That was Lex's decision. He didn't hinder me with much of anything of what I wanted to do, but he put his foot down in that regard. Is that an inside joke between you or something?" she asked, glancing from one to the other.

"Or something," Chloe smiled, dropping her shoulder bag onto a table and slid into a chair.

"I'll be in the office," Lex mentioned, walking away without waiting for anyone to acknowledge him.

"There's an office now?" Chloe asked, sounding impressed.

"There's always been an office," Gina replied, noticing how they had both reacted to a simple question.

"Oh," Chloe shrugged. "Well, I was always more into the being served aspect of coming in here anyway. I guess I just didn't notice it."

"Chloe," Gina addressed tentatively, sitting down across from her. "I'm not exactly sure what happened yesterday, but, are you mad at me? I feel like I've done something wrong, and I don't know what it was."

"Besides no one telling me about my dad's involvement with... someone? Or the fact that everyone seems to feel that I am out of line because I'm concerned about it? No, why would I possibly be mad at you?"

"Chloe, I didn't know that he hadn't told you," she explained. "None of us realized that you didn't know."

"Didn't the fact that I never came back to meet this woman occur to anyone?!" she asked with exasperation.

"Chloe, you never came back for anything," she said, her own tone full of hurt. "You didn't come to me and Pete's wedding, you didn't come to the reopening of the Talon when I took it over, you didn't even come to our baby's baptism. So why would we think anything was wrong for you not coming to meet Nancy?"

"You know why I left, Gina, and if not you personally then Pete knows," Chloe replied matter of factly. "I have a normal life in Gotham," she stressed, pleading for the woman to understand. "I didn't have that here, I was always trying to find my nitch. I never felt at home here."

"So no one in Smallville ever meant anything to you? It was really that easy for you to just pack up and leave and not look back. Gee, thanks, Chloe, you just made calling you a friend a waste of time." Gina pushed away from the table to walk away.

"Gina, wait," she said, rushing around the table to get in front of her. "How could you possibly think that way? I've always kept in touch with you and Pete. I love getting the baby's pictures, and all the family videos that you send."

"But you were never '_here_' Chloe," she said, her eyes brimming with how hurt she felt. "Shauna is going to be five this year, and you've never seen her. Sending money in a card doesn't make you a part of our lives."

"I never thought of it that way," she said softly, Gina's words sinking in full force. "I guess I was so intent on staying away, that I didn't realize I was hurting my friends who were still here. I'm surprised you talked to me at all, you must hate me."

"No, we don't hate you, that's why it hurts."

Lex appeared from the office, strode over to where they stood, and placed his hand gently on Chloe's shoulder. "I have something I need to check on at the bank, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Is everything ok?" Gina asked, sounding worried.

"Nothing that you've done. I'll have it taken care of," he answered Gina, then turned his gaze back to Chloe. "You'll be alright here until I get back?"

"I'll be fine," she reassured him with a smile. Nodding, he walked away and left the Talon.

The gesture hadn't gone unnoticed by Gina. Lex touching Chloe at all was a brow raiser, but the concerned tone of his voice, and the way Chloe obviously relaxed with him near her meant only one thing. There was definitely something between them.

Lex glanced back towards the Talon after getting in his car. He wasn't going to make any headway with pulling Chloe out of her shell, and he knew it. She was after one thing and one thing only, Nancy Garret. Trying to convince her that she was being irrational were Nancy was concerned would only end in him pushing her away further. He needed someone to mediate, and Pete's wife, Gina, had come to mind.

Gina Ross had a good sense of business. She was level headed and very good with handling people. The fact that she was also a friend of Chloe's made her the only person in Lex's mind to be able to make a difference, and from what he just heard of their conversation, she was off to a good start.

He pulled into the flow of traffic to head back to the mansion. Making up a bogus dilemma to get Chloe into town, then pooling on that dilemma to have the excuse to leave her with Gina, was priceless. He just hoped it turned out for the better.

After Lex had left, Chloe turned worried eyes back to Gina, focusing once more on the matter at hand.

"It was never my intention to hurt anyone, I just couldn't take it anymore. I needed to get out, and be as far from here as possible."

"And we understand that, Chloe, but it's been seven years. You have a life in Gotham, and that's great, but would it really hurt that much to visit once in a while knowing that you have somewhere else to return to?"

"No, It wouldn't hurt to see my friends," she said, stepping forward. "I'm so sorry, Gina." She opened her arms to hug her friend, Gina returning the gesture, both women sniffling slightly.

"Would you like some coffee?" Gina asked after a moment.

"I thought you would never ask!" Chloe smiled, stepping back to let Gina go around to the counter. "A latte would be even better," she smirked suggestively.

"One latte, coming right up!" Gina smiled back.

After taking care of a couple of things behind the counter, Gina returned to Chloe's table.

"You seem to have a lot more time away from serving customers than Lana did," Chloe observed after Gina sat down.

"Maybe I just have better management skills," she shrugged, her eyes dancing with humor. "But seriously, I have a few more people on the payroll than she did. I've also been able to keep a steady crowd by changing the hours, having a live band every Friday night, and I turned the apartment upstairs into a study area with computer terminals and encyclopedia references. Keeping this place open until ten on a Sunday night has proven more beneficial than I had projected."

"Wow, no wonder Lex financed the extra cash to renovate this place," she said with awe. "I never realized you were so business suave."

"Neither did I until Lex approached me one night and suggested that I may have a career in business management if I took the right college courses. He made me think about it. And, well, he was right."

"Don't you just love how he's able to do that?" she asked rhetorically. "Pulling something out of the blue like that, then be right about it. I swear, one of these days I will prove him so wrong it'll make the front page."

Gina laughed at Chloe's light ranting. Then asked the question that had peaked her curiosity since earlier that morning. "So, how did you end up staying with Lex anyway?"

"Lex and I are friends. I stopped by the mansion to say hi and he offered for me to stay there while I was in Smallville."

"Friends..., oh, ok," Gina replied with obvious skepticism. There was more to that explanation, and Gina knew it. She knew damn well that Lex didn't invite '_anyone_' to stay with him. In fact, even she had her appointed times of when she was allowed at the mansion.

"You sound like you don't believe me," Chloe accused lightly, sipping from her cup.

"For someone who is good at investigating everyone else, you don't see things right under your nose very well, do you?" Gina stated with a knowing grin, and leaned back in her chair while sipping her coffee. She hadn't meant it in a malicious way, nor did Chloe take it as such.

"I don't know what you mean, there's nothing there to see."

"You're telling me that there's nothing going on between you?"

"Of course there's nothing between us. Where did you get that idea?"

"Lex," Gina announced, seeing him approach their table. "Is everything ok with the bank?"

"Everything is fine now," he answered matter of factly, then turned his eyes to Chloe. "Are you ready to leave, or is this a bad time?"

Chloe heard the undertone gruffness in his voice, but disregarded it to whatever had happened at the bank being the cause. "Yea, I'm ready," she said, getting to her feet, and grabbed her bag. "Gina, I'll catch up with you later."

"You know where to find me!" she said with a big smile, getting up to give Chloe a brief hug.

"Of course I do, and keep that suspicion of yours to yourself for me, ok?" she warned playfully, returning the brief contact.

"Whatever you say, Chloe," she laughed in response. "Bye, Lex."

He jutted his chin in response, and turned with Chloe, staying by her side, as they headed for the exit. Watching them leave, Gina wondered if Chloe realized that Lex had placed his hand at the small of her back as they walked out.

_'Nah, there's nothing between them at all_.' Gina thought cynically. _'I can't imagine why I thought there was_.' She glanced around to assess how things were running, and saw that she wasn't the only one who had noticed the couple as eyes stared towards the doors well after they had walked out.

XxXxX

"I can't do this," Chloe announced suddenly, pushing back from the dining room table. "This is too fancy," she explained, picking up her plate as she stood up. "Eating at a table with silverware that could pay off a small mortgage is ok once in a while, other than that, I'm going to eat in the pantry."

Lex picked up his plate to follow her with an amused smirk. She had been in a much better mood since talking with Gina, it seemed the guilt trip scenario worked best when dealing with Chloe. All she talked about on the way back to the mansion was how awful she felt for ignoring her friends.

He had remained silent, letting her hold the conversation all on her own. Which suited him just fine considering his own thoughts were in turmoil at the time. He had approached their table in the Talon to catch Chloe telling Gina in no uncertain terms that there was nothing between them. For some reason, that bothered him more than he thought it should.

"I rarely eat in the dining room, myself," he admitted from behind her. "I just thought it would be more appropriate while you were here."

"You eat in the pantry?" she asked disbelievingly.

"No, I usually have something brought to me at my desk."

She nodded, accepting that answer as feasible. Reaching the pantry, she placed her plate on the table, then went to the counter to make a fresh pot of coffee.

"You're making more coffee?"

"Yea, would you like some?"

"I was thinking of having a nice chardonnay to compliment the meal."

"Oh," she voiced, biting the inside of her lip indecisively. She hadn't sat at the dining table long enough to see what else was going to be served. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were trying to do something special for dinner."

"I'm not going to any special means," he lied with ease. "I just thought the wine would be a nice change. All I've seen you drink so far is coffee."

"Oh, uhm...," she glanced back at the coffee maker then to Lex again. "You know what?" she asked rhetorically, smiling brightly. "Now that you mention it, a glass of chardonnay sounds very nice," she agreed, sitting down at the table.

"If you'd rather have coffee, Chloe...,"

"No, I'll have some wine. I can have coffee later."

He knew she was humoring him, but allowed it without any further argument. She was barely reseated when the maid found them, carrying the bottle of chardonnay. The woman looked fairly perplexed, but took the change of dining arrangements in stride, and went to retrieve two wine glasses from the china cabinet.

"I was thinking about going over to Pete and Gina's tomorrow," Chloe announced, watching him closely to gauge his reaction. She didn't think he would mind, but he never specified if this deal of his included her spending time elsewhere, especially where he wouldn't be completely welcome to go with her.

"Chloe," he chuckled. "I've already told you, you're not a prisoner under my thumb," he stated, noticing her slight discomfort. "It's good that you've reestablished your friendship with Gina and Pete. They are both important people in your life."

"I wasn't one hundred percent sure you would actually feel that way," she admitted. "Especially considering the deal we have. I mean, they will most likely invite me to stay for dinner. Which means I won't be here for part of the day and well into the evening."

"You don't have to explain anything to me," he said. "I have a ten o'clock conference tomorrow, but, maybe we could have lunch together before you leave?"

"I won't be leaving '_that_' early," she half laughed, sitting back in her chair. "Gina will be at the Talon until three. So I'm not planning on arriving at their house until almost four." She lightly stabbed at some greens in her salad with her fork, holding it in mid-air while she finished talking. "This way I get there after Gina, but before Pete," she added, putting the food in her mouth.

The maid returned with the wine glasses, opened the bottle and poured for each of them. Setting the bottle on the table between them, she left to retrieve something else from the main kitchen.

"Why not simply call them and have them invite you to dinner? Wouldn't that be easier?"

"No," she answered, trying to chew and swallow her food quickly. "Because then I wouldn't have to be there until later, and I want to have some time to talk to Gina."

"I didn't realize that there was a problem between you and Pete."

"There's not," she defended firmly. "There's just some things that women like to talk about without men being around."

The serving staff came in with the main meal, asking if they were finished with their salads before whisking the plates away to be quickly replaced. Chloe stared at her plate of clam fettuccini in a creamy white sauce.

"Is something wrong?" he asked calmly, noticing how she stared at her meal.

"Actually, no," she quipped with a smile. "It's nice to have someone know what my favorite foods are, it takes the guess work out of wondering if I'll enjoy my meal or not."

"Chloe, I already said I would stop the reports. In fact it's already been taken care of."

"I should hope so considering I'm here with you personally. But I didn't necessarily mean that as a complaint." She took her fork and stirred the noodles with the sauce before twisting the prongs around to catch a mouthful on the fork. "Maybe you knowing things about me isn't so bad after all," she smiled at him before putting the food in her mouth.

He wasn't certain if she was facetiously appeasing him, or if she actually meant that statement. He glanced at his own plate, picking up his fork to begin eating, when she emitted a very guttural, seductive sound from her throat.

"Mmm. Lex, this is delicious. You better make sure to tell your cook to make this again while I'm here," she said after swallowing her mouthful. She reached for her wine and took a sip. "And the wine definitely goes better with this than coffee would."

He watched her as she nearly shoveled another forkful into her mouth. She chewed slowly though, her eyes half closed, her tongue slowly licking at some sauce on her bottom lip. He almost found himself licking his own lips in response to her action, but caught himself just as she opened her eyes and looked fully at him.

"I will personally hold you accountable if I gain too much weight while staying here," she remarked, glancing at her plate for the next bite. "I've never had clam fettuccini this good, and I've eaten in some very eloquent restaurants."

"I'm glad you like it," he smirked, pleased that she was impressed with '_something_' he'd done for a change.

"Mmm, I'm going to have another plate of this," she said with her mouth still half full, gesturing with her fork at the food. "And eat nothing but salads all day tomorrow." She wiped at her mouth with her napkin, then took another sip of wine. "I really wasn't kidding about gaining too much weight, you know."

"I didn't think you were," he replied seriously. A small smile formed on his lips just before he placed his own forkful into his mouth.

XxXxX

"Oh no," she exclaimed as the maid served the desserts. "I can't possibly eat this!"

"That'll be all," he stated to the servant, motioning for her to take the dessert dishes back to the main kitchen.

"I do have room for something else though," she hinted suggestively.

"Coffee?" he asked with raised brows.

"I guess you don't need a report to figure that out by now, huh?"

"Not by a long shot," he smirked back at her. "When did you become such the caffeine addict?"

"Are you kidding me?" she laughed. "I've had a caffeine fetish for as long as I can remember," she started saying, rising from the chair to go over to the counter. "It just got a lot worse during my first year of college."

Chloe found the coffee maker already prepared for the next pot, all she had to do was turn it on. After pushing the 'on' button, she sat back down at the table. "What about you?" she asked with elbows on the table. "What made you finally give up the scotch?"

He held her gaze steadily, contemplating how he could answer that question. "I got to a point where I couldn't remember why I drank it so much," he answered, his smirk still in place, his eyes lit with amusement.

"I wouldn't think you would even joke about that," she replied, slightly uncomfortably.

"It doesn't matter," he said casually. "No one knows what I remember and what I don't from that experience. But I'm sure you didn't ask to re-hatch old memories."

"No, I didn't," she said in a low voice. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking." She pushed from the table to go to the cabinets, and retrieved two coffee mugs.

"Chloe, it's alright," he reassured her, getting to his feet to stand off to the side of her shoulder. He hadn't meant to make her uncomfortable. "It was a long time ago."

She glanced up at him, her eyes full of curiosity. "How much '_do_' you remember from back then?"

He stared at her, working his jaw thoughtfully. He also hadn't meant for the conversation to take this turn, but then he should have expected her to ask. He reached out his hand and gently cupped the side of her face, running his thumb over her cheek. "Let's just say that I got four out of the seven weeks back, but not in sequential order."

She met his eyes, her breath catching in her throat. "Do you remember your promise?" she asked barely above a whisper.

"Oh yes," he answered readily. "That was one of the first things I remembered."

She looked up at him, feeling mesmerized by his eyes, his gentle touch, his truthful admission. "That's why you had me followed," she said softly, understanding his motives just a little better now. He nodded slightly, the motion barely detectable. "Why didn't you just tell me that? Why would you let me believe that you were up to something?"

He silently held her gaze as she looked at him with wonder, waiting for him to answer her. He wasn't ready to answer that question, his motives hadn't been as chivalrous as that. He moved his thumb to caress over the roundness of her cheek bone, his eyes shifted to focus on her lips. With a subtle movement of his head, he leaned ever so slightly towards her.

She felt him draw closer more so than saw the motion. His hand at her face, his thumb on her skin, was alluring. She let her own gaze drop to his lips, her mind remembering this same scene from seven years ago. How his lips felt on hers, how she had responded to him back then. How she was responding to him now. She blinked, pulling herself out of the fantasy, and slightly swayed back from him, her own motion as subtle as his.

He felt her withdraw. Despite the heat he saw in her eyes, the way her breathing had changed, and the slight flush on her face, she pulled back from him. He let his hand drop from her face, and straightened to his full height. He was certain that she would allow him to kiss her, that it could possibly lead to more, but he didn't want to have to convince her that she wanted him, he wanted her to come to him willingly, and without any doubt.

Chloe cleared her throat, and gave a nervous chuckle, pulling back from him further. "Uhm," she voiced, glancing toward the counter. "Oh! The coffee's done!" she said, grateful for the distraction. "You wanted some, right?" she asked, glancing at him, then cringed visibly at her choice of words.

"Two sugars, leveled off," he replied informatively, keeping his tone neutral. He knew she had chosen her words carelessly, but smirked none the less as he walked over to the table to sit down.

Chloe stood with her back toward Lex, fixing two cups of coffee. She was unnerved about what had '_almost_' just happened. _'That was too close_,' she thought, shoveling sugar into her mug. _''He got too close_.' She closed her eyes briefly before starting to stir the liquid in her cup.

She couldn't deny being attracted to Lex, that revelation came to her way back in high school. She had come to admire him in so many ways while they helped each other by sharing information. But he was Lex Luthor, there was a reason he wanted her close to him. Unfortunately, whatever that reason could be, it wouldn't have anything to do with him having feelings for her.

"Are you alright?" he asked from the table.

"Yea," she answered quickly, snapping out of her thoughts, realizing she was still stirring the spoon in the cup. "There was a lump in the sugar," she said lamely. "I was just making sure it dissolved." She took the cups from the counter and placed one in front of Lex, then sat across from him with hers still in her hand.

"Chloe, that promise I made to you long ago, wasn't the only reason..."

"This is decaf," she stated bluntly after taking a sip, not paying attention to what Lex was saying, and stared into the cup. She took another tentative sip, and wrinkled her nose with distaste. "Yep, this is definitely decaf," she reiterated, looking over at Lex. "This tastes horrible!"

She turned her attention to the counter while leaving her chair. Getting the container of coffee from the cabinet she examined it closely. "Is that man insane? He's trying to switch me to decaf!"

Lex watched impassively as Chloe dumped the entire container of coffee into the garbage. She came back to the table, picked up her cup, took his right out of his hand, without even asking him first, and dumped their contents down the drain. Turning on her heel, she disappeared into the side storage area. He could hear her rummaging around back there, before a satisfied, "ah-hah!" came to his ears.

She reappeared with another container of coffee, holding it up for him to see it. "This is '_real_' coffee," she stated factually, and proceeded to make a fresh pot. Once the water and coffee grinds were starting to brew, she rinsed out the mugs, then returned to the table, and looked at Lex. "Anyway, what were you saying?"

"It's not important."

XxXxX

(later that evening)

Chloe found Lex in his study, and stepped into the room with an exaggerated stride to get his attention. "I thought the dinner was really nice, Lex," she complimented in a sincere tone.

After the fiasco with the decaf, their conversation had been strained. She felt it, and knew he had, too. She had tried again to get him to repeat what he had started to tell her, but he clammed up, refusing to say much of anything at that point. She asked him if he was up to a rematch in a game of pool, but he politely declined, then excused himself. She had messed up, and she wasn't sure how to fix it.

He nodded slightly in acceptance of her compliment and turned his attention to the paperwork on his desk. "I hope I didn't say anything that would change your mind about our having lunch together tomorrow," Lex stated without looking at her.

"No, of course you didn't. I'll even have breakfast with you if I can have a ham and cheese omelet," she added with a little smile.

He raised his head and met her gaze before picking up a thick folder from his desk. "This contains all there is to know concerning Nancy Garret."

Her expression sobered instantly as she stepped closer to the desk. She took the file from him, and thumbed through the first few pages briefly before reestablishing their eye contact. "You had this all along didn't you?"

"I'm not exactly sure what you're looking for, Chloe," he said, ignoring her question. "But I think you should prepare yourself not to find it."

"Just because you didn't see anything peculiar about her in all this," holding up the thick file folder as emphasis. "Doesn't mean there isn't anything to find."

Her tone had been cordial enough, but the strong set of her jaw, and the determination in her eyes belied that cordialness. "Come to me if you find anything," he stated in a business tone. "I'd be interested in anything that I personally overlooked."

"Believe me, you'll be the first person to know when I find something," she replied evenly. With the folder in her hands, she headed out of the room. "Good night, Lex," she called over her shoulder as an afterthought.

He watched her walk out with her shoulders squared, her stride confident. She was so sure she was going to find something wayward about Nancy. The truth of the matter was that there was nothing to find. Lex had went over his extensive report on the woman five times since Chloe had arrived, and there wasn't anything about her that could remotely be construed as wayward. Chloe would, however, have some questions about Nancy's past, but he was more than prepared to answer those. That was going to be one confrontation Lex didn't look forward to at all.


	5. Chapter 5

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 5

(Third night)

Lex sat bolt upright in his bed, gasping for air with wide eyes. He wiped the sweat from his face with the sheet while trying to get his breathing back to normal, then let himself fall backwards to lay in the darkness of his room.

He was used to the nightmares, he didn't like them, but he'd been having them for years. It was always the same dream, only the faces changed. Someone was trying to kill him for one reason or another, which always ended in blood and pain, whether his own or someone else's. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard, getting his breathing back to normal within a few breaths.

With a settling sigh he turned his head to the side to check the time. Three thirty-seven. _'Great, another sleepless night_.' He thought dismally. _'I'll never get back to sleep now_.'

Making his way into the hallway, he saw Enrique standing outside of Chloe's room like a hired sentinel. "What has you up and about in the middle of the night?" he asked lightly in a whispered voice.

"I was merely just checking on Miss Sullivan, sir," the man answered quietly.

The sound of Chloe softly crying out in her sleep could be heard from just outside her door.

"How did you know she was having nightmares?" he asked. Lex never thought about it when Enrique was nearby to assist him in the midnight hours. The man had worked for him for years. He knew Lex's schedule, his habits, his bouts of insomnia, and his nightmares. But Chloe had only been there for two days, how could Enrique possibly know she may need someone nearby?

"She simply seemed reluctant to retire in the evenings, sir," he replied honestly.

"It explains her visits to the pantry in the middle of the night," Lex offered. Enrique nodded in agreement. "You thought it was the coffee," Lex stated more so than asked. Again his servant nodded. "It's alright, it was a good assumption." He pat the man lightly on the shoulder. "Nice try with the decaf, by the way."

"Thank you, sir. Will you require anything else this evening?"

"No, we'll be fine," he answered, stepping toward Chloe's room. "Take tomorrow off, Enrique, you've more than earned it."

"Thank you, sir."

XxXxX

(Chloe's dream)

She was walking down a street in Smallville when the ground started shaking. Before she could react the rumbling intensified, and the ground beneath her cracked open. One of her legs fell into a gaping abyss as she grabbed onto the breaking sidewalk. The cement gave way and crumbled, falling into the crack. She clawed her way up, barely staying on top of the falling dirt in an effort to not fall in herself.

She was screaming, tears of fear and pain streaked her face. She looked around for help, and was filled with terror as everyone she knew in Smallville stood around her, watching her get sucked in the widening crack. She was slipping. The earth under her was too soft, there was nothing to hold onto, and no one would help her! She fell into the hole, dirt falling in above her, burying her alive as the ground started to close up on both sides. Suddenly there was a hand on her. She grabbed it with all her strength, holding onto it with every ounce of life she had as it pulled her from under the loose soil.

"Lex!"

He pulled her to her feet with strong arms, holding her tightly while she cried and hick-cupped with the joy of still being alive.

"I will never let anything happen to you, Chloe, I promise."

She looked up into his face, into his deep blue eyes, and knew he meant every word. "Lex!" she cried with relief into his chest as everything faded away except his arms holding her close, and his heart beating steadily in her ear.

XxXxX

Lex heard her mumble his name, sounding scared, and moved to her side. The light from the hallway reflected the tears on her cheek. He bent down, and gently wiped away the wet streak with his thumb, cupping the side of her face in his palm.

"Lex," she said his name again, calmer this time, and turned her face into his hand. She took a deep breath and quieted, snuggling herself deeper under her covers.

After a few minutes, he stepped from the room, pausing to stare back at her for another moment before closing the door.

XxXxX

(Day Three)

She paced the hallway, waiting for Lex to finish his phone conference in his office. She read a couple of things in Nancy's file that she wanted to go over with him. One being the fact that she had worked briefly for Lionel Luthor fifteen years before he had died, and the second being that the woman has been widowed three times.

"Come on, Lex!" she mumbled irritably under her breath, fanning herself with the folder with Nancy's name on it. She had left most of the information in her room, only bringing the pages she wanted to talk to Lex about. She stopped short in mid-pace and spun on her heel when she thought she heard something down the hall. "Lex?"

She headed in the direction of the sound with a brisk stride, mentally cursing Luthor if he snuck out behind her. Halfway down the hall, however, Lex's voice came through the doors of his office loud and strong as he threatened someone to get his way. Pausing outside the door, she couldn't help but smirk fondly. _'Business as usual, eh, Lex?_' she thought to herself.

She heard the sound again, her head snapping to attention. It was coming from somewhere on the first floor. Slowly she left the office doors, and headed downstairs to investigate. She knew Enrique had been given the day off, which in her mind was a very nice thing for Lex to do considering the man had been busting his ass to accommodate her stay as well as his normal duties of taking care of Lex.

Once on the first floor, the sound came to her again, louder than before. Continuing in that direction, she paused at reaching a connecting hallway, and glanced cautiously around the corner. Not finding anyone in sight, she stepped fully into the smaller hall as a bang resounded next to her. With a start, she jumped and spun around to see that it was only a door that hadn't been properly closed.

With a sigh of relief, and relaxing her shoulders, she stepped over to close it. Her hand was on the doorknob, gently pushing it closed, when she felt cool air brush her bare arm. With her curiosity immediately peaked, she opened the door wide to see what was behind it.

Her first assumption of a broom closet was disregarded when she found herself staring down a flight of stone steps leading into a darkness below. _'Welcome to the dungeon my pretty_,' she thought with humor, the voice of the wicked witch from the 'Wizard of Oz' playing in her mind.

Putting the file folder on a hall table nearby, she entered through the doorway, taking her first step downward. Pausing, she looked around for a light switch. Finding a small panel with four switches on it near the doorjamb, she flicked all of them, and smiled when lights went on below. She grabbed the flashlight that hung on a hook by a string, _'Just in case_.'

Halfway down the steps she felt the steady flow of a cool damp draft pushing up from below. _'No wonder this place is so drafty, it comes from the damn basement_.' She thought dryly. The resounding bang of the door slamming shut above her startled her so bad it almost made her miss a step.

_'How much do you want to bet that it's locked?_' she asked herself, shining the flashlight on the doorknob. She shook her head slightly and turned back to face downward. _'I'll deal with that later. This is much more interesting_.'

XxXxX

"Chloe?" Lex called from the doorway of his office. He was still in mediations with a new business deal, but thought he had heard something in the hall and paused the conference. "William," he called, addressing the man who was filling in for Enrique. "Have you seen Miss Sullivan?" he asked before the man could respond to being addressed.

"No, sir, I haven't."

"When you see her, please ask her to meet me in my office."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor," he replied with a respectful dip of his chin.

Lex had the doors half closed when an afterthought occurred to him. "William," he addressed again, reopening the door to half step into the hallway. "I would like her in my office as soon as possible."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor," he repeated with more enthusiasm, and turned first one way then another, undecided as to which way to go first.

"She was last seen in her room, I suggest you start there."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Luthor, sir." The man turned and headed for the stairs.

Lex went back into his office, shaking his head as he closed the doors behind himself. _'God help me when Enrique decides to retire_.' He thought dismally, before resuming his conference call.

XxXxX

"What do you mean, you can't find her?" Lex asked William three hours later. It had taken far longer than anticipated to negotiate the new business deal. He was on the verge of a headache, he missed having lunch with Chloe, and now he was told that she was missing.

"I have searched every section of the mansion that I am allowed access to, sir," the man replied, obviously nervous.

"Have you asked for assistance from the rest of my staff?"

"Yes, sir, I have. No one has seen her since this morning, sir."

"Is her car still in the driveway?"

"Her car, sir?" Seeming to be caught off guard by the question. "I believe it is, Mr. Luthor."

"You believe it is, but you're not sure." He stated more than asked.

The man visibly swallowed hard under Lex's inscrutable gaze. "I'll check on that immediately, Mr. Luthor."

"That's a good idea, William. Let me know what you find."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor."

Lex watched William scurry in the direction of the main hall to check the driveway, then turned on his heels and headed for the pantry. He already knew the car was still there. He wasn't sure how, he just knew. Reaching the small kitchen, he cut through to the side storage area, then used the door in the back to step into a secluded hallway. Stopping before a door near the end of the hall, he knocked lightly and politely waited for a response.

"If I've told you once, I've told you five times already," the masculine voice yelled from the other side. "I will '_not_' be disturbed on my day off!" Enrique pulled his door open to find Lex standing before him. "Mr. Luthor!" Enrique exclaimed aghast. "My apologies, sir. I had no idea it would be you." The man was completely flabbergasted. In all his years of employment, Lex had never come personally to his door for anything.

"I'm the one who must apologize, Enrique, you're a good man and deserve your day off. However, something has arose and I wondered if you might be able to shed some light on the matter."

"Of course, sir. What is it?"

"It seems Miss Sullivan is missing. I believe she is '_somewhere_' in the mansion, but so far she hasn't been seen since earlier this morning."

"I have, unfortunately, been in my apartments all day, sir," the man started to reply when Lex held up his hand to stop him from going any further.

"I already know that," he reassured him. "I wanted to know if you knew of any areas in particular that she has found '_interesting_' lately. Maybe in a locked section?" he hinted suggestively.

"The only room she has shown interest in, sir, is the library. I often find her in there, though she doesn't touch anything. I think she simply likes the ambience, if I may say so."

Lex nodded in acceptance, and stepped back. "That's fine, Enrique, thank you."

"Sir, I will change and aid in her search if you would permit it?"

_'How the hell do you train someone like this?_' Lex thought waywardly before turning back to look at the man. Assessing his attire of casual pants with a pull over shirt, Lex admitted to himself that the man looked out of place. He'd rarely, if ever, seen Enrique in anything but his proper uniform.

"Get rid of the slippers, and you may join me now. I'll wait for you."

"Very well, sir. I will be but one moment." He closed the door only for it to reopen within a few seconds. "I am ready, sir."

Lex glanced down to the floor, and had to forcibly refrain from smirking at his butler's choice of footwear. "Are those high top sneakers?"

"Yes, sir. They give my ankles extra support while playing tennis. May I ask which areas of the mansion have not been searched?" he asked, changing the subject back to Chloe.

"From what I can gather, any section that the main staff doesn't have access to," he stated, starting to walk down the hall towards the pantry.

"That definitely leaves a lot, sir."

"I'm aware of that," he answered congenially. Reaching the door at the storage area Lex paused. "I appreciate your helping me with this on your day off."

"Mr. Luthor, I am grateful that you came to me. I would have felt horrible at not being a part of this."

Lex nodded, then pushed ahead, leaving Enrique to close the door behind them. "May I ask a few questions, sir?" he asked as they cut through the pantry, swerving towards the counter.

"Of course." He knew the man had stopped following him, and turned around at the doorway. "What is it?" he asked, watching him switch off the coffee maker and rinse the tumbler in the sink, filling it with hot water to soak.

"Does anyone know where her coffee mug is, sir?" Turning around to meet Lex's gaze. "She favors the green one with the small chip on the side of the rim. It may help to pin point where she was last."

"The cup was found in her room. It was near empty, and looked as though it had been sitting there for a few hours."

"That would explain the rest of the pot being nothing more than motor oil then." The butler stated. He dried his hands on a hand towel and joined Lex at the door. "Was she in any type of a fowl mood this morning?" Enrique asked as he followed Lex down the hall.

Lex paused and turned fully around to meet the man's steady gaze, wondering what exactly he meant by that question. But then realized it was a legitimate question when referring to Chloe. What got Lex the most was that Enrique actually asked it, then firmly held his gaze while waiting for an answer.

"Not the last time I saw her, she wasn't," he began explaining, turning back to the hallway to keep walking. "We had breakfast together before my ten o'clock conference call. Chloe had some files she wanted to review and headed to her room. That's all I know."

"Mr. Luthor...?"

Lex turned around again to find an empty space where the butler should have been. Scanning the area quickly, he took a step forward, almost physically bumping into the man as he came around the corner of the side hallway.

"One of your files, sir," he said, handing Lex the folder.

"Where was this?" he asked, instantly recognizing it as the folder he gave Chloe, albeit a lot lighter.

"It was on the hall table," Enrique answered. "Is that by any chance the file Miss Sullivan was reviewing, sir?"

"You're getting slightly outspoken with your questions, Enrique. Is there a reason you would ask me that?" Raising only his eyes to look at him.

"Forgive me, but you are not likely to leave a file lying on a hall table, no matter what the circumstances. Also, the table it rested on is directly across from the basement door, sir."

"Oh no," Lex whispered, his gaze sliding to the closed basement door.

"She '_is_' curious by nature, sir." Enrique needlessly reminded him.

Lex locked his eyes with his servant's. "Have I ever been in the basement?"

"Not to my knowledge, sir."

Stepping forward, he opened the door, then paused at the top step. "If I'm not back within the hour, send a search party."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor."

Enrique couldn't wait until Lex turned his back to allow the grin to burst through his lips. The sad thing was, he knew his employer wasn't kidding. The basement was filled with dark hallways and long corridors, sectioned off in areas by stone walls. In short, it was literally a maze that ran beneath the entire length of the estate itself.

"Sir, would you like me to retrieve a flashlight from the pantry?" he called as an afterthought. "There are only a few sections that are lit, and apparently Miss Sullivan has taken the one that is kept here at the door."

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea."

Enrique walked briskly to the pantry, grabbed the flashlight with precise calculation, then returned to the basement steps, checking to make sure it worked along the way. Handing Lex the light, he returned to the hallway, and firmly closed the door. He then turned towards the main hall to put some order back into the ranks of the staff. William being first on his list.

XxXxX

After reaching the bottom step, Chloe found herself in a small, well lit, wine cellar. Following through a narrow walkway, she stepped into a much larger, fully stocked, continuation of the first area. Without more than a second glance around she found another narrow walkway and headed for it. Within a few yards, she found a food storage area. Shelves lined the walls, each fully stocked with canned vegetables, canned fruits, jars of jams, cases of powdered milk, boxes of crackers, and boxes of dry cereal.

"Ok, what good is the milk if you don't have water to mix it with?"

Shaking her head, she kept moving, following the path into the next section. She quickly got her answer when she saw nothing but crates of bottled water stacked high, almost filling the room. Squeezing through an aisle of crates, she found another corridor leading further under the castle, only this area wasn't lit. Flicking on her flashlight, she continued on.

She followed along a wall that seemed to help support the massive building above, and found herself in the boiler room, which honestly reminded her of something from the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' movies. She vaguely wondered if managing this area was one of those things that Enrique said Lex need not concern himself with, as she kept going.

Her attention was drawn to the sudden sound of rushing water. Quickly following the noise she came across huge pipes. _'Just something you don't normally think about_,' she thought, running the beam of the flashlight along the pipes. _'where the hell do you get water to supply a place this big? It must feed in from the lake_.'

"Ewwww," she exclaimed aloud. "That would explain all the bottle water... I hope," she added, not caring that she was talking to herself. Her beam of light lit on another corridor, and she headed for it. The thought of finding her way out again never crossed her mind. Chloe had no idea how long she had been following corridors and narrow pathways, but her stomach started growling, and she wished she had grabbed some water to bring with her. Most of the sectioned areas were empty, but every once in a while she found a little area that was piled high with old junk.

_'I always thought that was what attics were for_,' she mused to herself, when she looked around at pieces of old furniture, lamps, desks, rolled up rugs, and crates of god knows what. She was about to turn around and start heading back when she noticed a small bin type area tucked back in a corner. With her curiosity in overdrive, she went over to it to discover what '_had_' to be the find of the decade.

There were five rows of boxes stacked five high each. Shining the light on one of the top boxes, she could read the writing on the side.

CHRISTMAS 1989

Shifting the light to the right, she read the next box.

CHRISTMAS 1994

The next three read: CHRISTMAS 1999, CHRISTMAS 2004, CHRISTMAS 2009.

All the boxes under those were in sequential order starting with 1985.

"Oh my god, these belong to Lex."

She put the flashlight down and opened one at random, then grabbed the light to look inside. Her heart almost stopped at finding only three things inside. She reached in and took out a small box.

Holding it in front of her at chest level, she saw it was the oblong shape of a jewelry box for a watch, or a necklace. Lifting the lid she found a beautiful diamond and sapphire necklace. Her breath caught with surprise, and she looked around at her surroundings. _'Why would he keep something like this all the way down here?_'

She shined the light on the box to read which year it was from. 2009. Putting the gift back, she took out the other two. They contained the bracelet and earrings to match the necklace. With her brow creased with confusion, she put them back, then closed the bigger box.

Stepping over to open another one. The mystery deepened. There was only one item inside, and from the size and shape of it, it could only be one thing. She bit at her bottom lip, deciding if she really wanted to know for sure or not. "Oh, what the hell!" Flipping open the lid she found a pair of blue sapphire earrings. Chloe turned the box this way and that for the light to catch the facets in the gems, making them shine. _'Wow, I'd love to have earrings like this!_' she exclaimed mentally, admiring them with a touch of envy. _'I wouldn't accept them from Lex, but still, these are beautiful!_'

After appraising them for a few more minutes, she closed the box and returned it to its original place, closing the storage box again. She moved the boxes around, digging for the one marked 1993, hoping that that one would shed some light on all of this. Finally getting her hands on the box she wanted, she noticed immediately that it was heavier than the ones on top. Placing it on the floor, she pulled the lid off and shined the light inside.

There were at least twenty gifts inside of various sizes and shapes. Some of them had never been opened. Some had been broken, and some were obviously destroyed on purpose. Reaching her hand in, she rummaged around a little until her hand touched a piece of paper. Grabbing it, she pulled it out, and put it in front of the flashlight.

_Dear Enrique,_

You have been a trusted member of this household for many years now, and I expect you will remain for many more. But I must ask you a favor upon my death. As you know, Alexander has always been generous to those he considers his friends. Unfortunately they rarely returned those sentiments.

Every year at Christmas he buys a gift for all his friends, but they never keep them. He doesn't know this. I have collected them secretly and put them away where he would never find them.

The favor I ask of you, is to never let him find these boxes and to take my place with this secret. It would devastate him to find out that not even his gifts were accepted, because he is a Luthor.

Also, I fear greatly for having to leave my son with Lionel. My only hope is that Pamela will be with him. Please help her to take care of Alexander as much as possible. You are a good man, and I know in my heart that you will do your best.

Thank You Dear Friend,  
Lillian Luthor

Chloe hadn't realized that tears were falling from her face until she had to sniffle through her nose. With a deep inhale of breath, she tilted her head back, breathed unevenly through her mouth, and tried to stop the tears from flowing. Managing that much, she read the note once more before returning it to the box.

Picking herself up from the floor, she wiped at her nose with the bottom of her shirt. Not exactly the most desirable thing to do, but she didn't have anything else available. Closing the box with Lillian's note in it, she restacked it, then placed all the other boxes back in order, as she had found them.

"Well, that definitely explained a lot," she said aloud, still getting herself together.

She didn't want to think how lonely Lex must have been as a little boy because of Lionel. She didn't want to think how cruel people could be to someone just because of his name. She didn't want to think that his baldness might have had a lot to do with it. But most of all she didn't want to think that she herself wasn't much better than those kids Lex used to call friends.

But think about it was all she could do as she slowly made her way back the way she had come, using the sound of the water in the pipes to guide her.


	6. Chapter 6

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 6

Lex checked the flashlight as Enrique went back up the steps, not knowing the man had already done that, then continued his descent. Walking through the wine cellar he reasoned that the maid hadn't closed the door properly the night before after retrieving the chardonnay. Not that it was her fault, the basement door had always been a little tricky. Enrique had been telling him about it for years. Lex made a mental note to finally get it fixed.

He walked through to the larger, more extensive wine area, then continued on to the food storage section. Glancing at the shelves indifferently, he kept moving towards the other side before stopping dead in his tracks to do a double take off to his left side.

"Son of a bitch," he exclaimed under his breath, striding over to the shelves storing the boxes of cereal. "He told me there was none left!" he added, picking up a box of 'Lucky Charms'. "Huh, just when you think you know someone, he lies about your breakfast cereal." With an indignant huff, he put the box back, and continued on to find Chloe.

Grabbing a bottle of water as he squeezed through the stacked crates, he flicked on the flashlight, then stopped. The narrow hallways divided in two different directions. One heading under the west end of the castle, the other following under the east.

_'Which way did you go, Chloe?_' he thought, drinking some of the water.

He wiped at his lips with the sleeve of his shirt, recapped the water bottle, and became aware of a low humming sound. Without a second thought, that was the direction he headed. If the sound rose his curiosity, it sure as hell would peak Chloe's.

Further down the corridor the flashlight lit on a storage area full of crates, furniture, and other various things that had belonged to one of his ex wives, since she hadn't bothered to pack when she had left him. Moving right along, Lex made a mental note to have the stuff burned or given to charity.

Walking down the stone floored hallway he heard a scuffling sound ahead of him. "Chloe?" he called out, peering hard into the dark, moving the beam of light searchingly. The noise stopped, but only after he caught the tail end of a rodent disappearing around the corner of a stone wall.

_'Mental note: get rat control down here, and soon._'

Rounding the next corner, in the opposite direction of the rat, he paused to take a good look at the boiler that was the cause of the low humming sound he'd been following. _'Damn, the "Overlook Hotel" had a better furnace than this._' He thought cynically. _'I own one of the most profitable plants this side of Metropolis, and have a crappy boiler system in my own home._' Moving forward, he made another mental note to have the entire system replaced.

At the end of the walkway, he came to another dividing set of hallways. With an exasperated sigh, he called out to Chloe, twice, hoping she was in this side of the damn castle in the first place. The idea of simply going back to the wine cellar and waiting for her occurred to him, but he decided that this little search had already proved worthwhile just by making him aware of some improvements that needed to be taken care of. Added to the fact that there '_were_' indeed 'Lucky Charms' in the mansion!

Thoughtfully looking down both walkways, he picked the one that seemed more likely for her to follow, and kept going. After passing a couple more 'ex wife' storage areas, he realized he'd been listening to the sound of rushing water. Raising the flashlight to the ceiling, he found the pipes, and smiled.

_'Finally, something that 'doesn't' need replacing._'

Lex had the water heater and filtering systems refurnished when he first moved in and discovered there wasn't enough hot water to reach the third level. But he made yet another mental note to have it serviced none the less. A scuffling sound came to his ears, followed by a mild explanative. "Chloe?"

"Lex?"

"Over here!" he called, striding in her general direction. Ducking under a large pipe, he saw her walking in his direction, and waited for her to reach him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she replied casually, staring at him before forcing an uncertain smile on her lips. "Unless you're really pissed about me being down here."

"No, I'm just glad you're alright. No one had seen you since this morning."

"I couldn't have been down here '_that_' long," she chuckled.

"Chloe, it's almost four-thirty," he replied, checking his watch for accuracy.

"I had no idea it was that late. No wonder my stomach was growling," she said, trying to laugh it off.

"Are you certain that you're alright?" he asked again. There was something in her tone that seemed off, not to mention the way she kept looking at him. "Or did you find something that has you wondering if you should tell me or not?" he added, shining the light in her face. "You were crying," he stated, not giving her a chance to answer either of his previous questions.

"No," she lied, dragging the syllable out while pushing his hand away to move the light from her face. "I got dust in my eyes and rubbing them made them all watery and red. There's also spider webs galore down here, and I think there's something else too, but I really didn't want to think about what it could be."

"Yea, I know. I heard something scurrying around myself."

He knew she was hiding something. She had a particular lilt in her voice whenever she was not being completely honest, or at least evasive of the whole truth. He had no doubt that she could've gotten dust in her eyes, but that's not what made her eyes red and puffy.

"Would you like some water?" he asked, holding out the bottle for her.

"Oh, yea, thank you," she voiced gratefully, then almost chugged the remaining half of the liquid before coming up for air. "I didn't think about grabbing one for myself," she chuckled lightly, wiping her mouth with her hand. "Can we get out of here now?"

"Do you know your way back?"

"Why, are you lost?" she laughed.

"I'm offering for you to go first, as a lady should. But if you don't know the way..."

"yea, yea, yea," she quipped good humouredly. "Just follow that pipe to the boiler, then make a right, and follow the lights back to the wine cellar."

"Good to know that you know your way around," he commented, falling into step behind her when she started walking.

"Speaking of the boiler, you need to do something about that," she tossed over her shoulder, ignoring his comment since she couldn't tell if he was being complimentary or not.

"It's on my 'to do' list as soon as we get upstairs."

"Yea, well, I'll be lucky if I don't have nightmares because of that thing."

"You were having nightmares before you found my basement, Chloe."

She stopped and spun around so suddenly that he almost walked into her, the flashlight glaring right in his eyes.

"You've been spying on me in my sleep?" she asked, sounding incredulous.

He shielded his eyes with his hand from the light, not daring to lower her flashlight himself. "I woke up last night, and heard you cry out from the hallway," he answered her honestly.

She lowered the beam to his chest. Watching as he blinked repeatedly, trying to get the spots from his vision. She stepped up to him, lowering the flashlight even more, but still able to see his face.

"Lex, did you touch me?"

His eyes shot to hers with astonishment. "No. My god, Chloe, why would you even think..."

"I meant, _'at all'_, Lex. Did you touch me _'at all'_? Fix my hair, cover me with a blanket, touch my hand, '_anything_'?"

He let out a harsh breath, glad to know she wasn't accusing him of some horrid act. "You were crying, Chloe. I touched your face."

She closed her eyes and sighed with relief. "It makes sense now," she whispered, then met his eyes again. "I've been having the same nightmare since I came back to Smallville," she explained. "I get caught up in an earthquake and fall into a hole, getting covered with dirt and rocks while everyone stands around and just watches. But last night I dreamed that someone was there to pull me out, and it was you."

She wasn't sure why she had admitted all of that to him. Maybe it was because of Lillian's note to Enrique. Maybe it was her own realization that she hadn't exactly treated him much better than others had, and she wanted to change that. Or maybe it was the fact that for the first time in weeks her nightmare had a different ending. An ending with hope and security instead of suffocating death while everyone laughed at her.

"I only wiped away a tear, Chloe, that's all."

"That was enough, Lex. Thank you."

He watched her walk away, starting to follow only when she was almost out of the beam of his flashlight. More of the ice had been chipped away, he saw it in her eyes. He might have only wiped away a tear, but in her mind he saved her from something far worse. He'd gladly take that gratitude, but something told him that there was more to it than that. She had found something in the basement that had changed the way she looked at him, and after she was safely upstairs, he was going to go back and find what it was.

XxXxX

"Maybe you could try kicking it," Chloe suggested lightly, as Lex rubbed at his now bruised shoulder.

They had silently made their way back to the basement door, neither of them knowing what to say to the other, only to find it locked, or at least stuck to the point of not being able to get it open from that side.

"Interesting idea. However, as flexible as I may be, I'm not able to kick a solid oak door at chest level while standing on a step."

"Are you patronizing me? Because I was only trying to be helpful."

"No, Chloe. I was being factual, not patronizing."

"You know, you could put some of that angry aggression into getting that door open."

"What the hell do you think I've been doing?!" he yelled at her, his patience finally waning.

His entire day had been filled with aggravation and turmoil. First Jacobs dallied for almost four hours over a deal that should have only taken one hour. Then dealing with William, who wasn't proficient enough to even know which way the bedrooms were. And spending two hours in a dark, dirty, damp basement looking for Chloe was not exactly something he wanted to repeat. On top of all of that, he was hungry, he felt dirty, and he simply wanted to take a shower and have dinner.

"Isn't there another way out of here?" she asked, trying to sound cooperative, though her tone was still sharp. She realized he was past his patience level, but that was no reason to be irrational.

"No, I had them all closed off when my life was being threatened at every given turn." His own tone still held an edge, but at least he wasn't yelling.

"Then how do the rats get down here? And don't tell me they come through the water supply!"

"There's a big difference between what a rat can squeeze through and a human. Trust me, our only way out is through that door."

"Then let's find something to break through the door," she stated logically. "I think I saw a wrench or something near the water system."

"We're not breaking the door," he said tiredly.

"Why not? I'm hungry, and tired, and irritated just as much as you are! I'm breaking the damn door!"

He let her run off down the steps, and disappear through the hallways. Rubbing his sore shoulder, he slowly descended the steps and sat on the third one from the bottom to wait for her return.

XxXxX

Chloe berated herself as she made her way to the water system area. She was treating him differently, and he knew it. But telling him about the note, about the boxes filled, or not so filled, of gifts people threw back in his face... no, she wouldn't be the one to do that. He may not be a little boy anymore, but apparently his feelings still ran deep.

She couldn't believe that she never saw it before. Gina was right, she had trouble seeing things right under her nose. He considered her a friend, for how long she had no idea, but the realization definitely put a few things in perspective, like him having her followed, his support of her years before, and this damn deal that she readily accepted without any consideration of the consequences!

The realization knocked the breath right out of her, forcing her to stop walking. She had been ready to accept whatever he threw at her, willingly and without any regard. She hadn't realized that she trusted him that much. Or was it just an easy excuse to be near him, to have a bond with him again?

She paced back and forth within a small radius, her hand on her forehead, trying to work it out in her mind. She didn't '_want_' to be attracted to him. He was ruthless, he was meticulous, he was cold and uncaring, only being generous when there was something in it for him!

'Except to those he considered a friend.'

_'No, that doesn't matter_,' she argued with herself. _'He is a grown man now, he has been through hell and back. He is arrogant, and manipulating, and... and... a Luthor!_'

'But you want him.'

_'Oh god, yes_.' She mentally melted at the thought. Closing her eyes she remembered what his touch felt like, how his lips felt on hers, how calm she felt just being near him. _'No! I'm not dealing with this!_' Shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Spinning on her heels, she strode in the direction she had been heading. _'I need to resolve this bullshit with Nancy, then get out of here,_' she thought with determination. _'And somehow survive twelve more days without falling for Lex more than I already have._'

XxXxX

Lex's stomach growled, reminding him how long it had been since he'd eaten. He stared off towards the food storage area, wondering if he'd be able to eat an entire box of cereal all by himself. He chuckled inwardly, of course he could, how ridiculous to even think about it.

It irked him that Enrique had lied. He'd been craving that damn cereal for two days. Two days. His mind segued. That's how long Chloe's been here. _'Heh, you sneaky bastard_,' he thought fondly of the butler. _'You refused to comply to my wishes to save me from possible embarrassment_.'

As if on cue, the door behind him was forcibly pulled open. The warped wood grating against the frame screeched loudly. "Mr. Luthor?"

"Enrique," he addressed, his voice depicting a _'I've got a bone to pick with you_' tone. He turned his head to the side, but otherwise remained unmoving.

"Sir?" the man responded questioningly, not sure of what exactly Lex had found during his wanderings down there.

"Are you aware of anything that is stored down here that I wouldn't know about, something that Miss Sullivan could have stumbled across?"

"The only belongings that are stored in the basement, sir, are effects that were not wanted."

_'Not exactly a direct no, now was it? No wonder the man survived working for me all these years, and my father before me_.' Lex slightly tilted his head back some more, his chin touching his shoulder. "Is there anything of my father's down here?"

"No, Mr. Luthor. There is not," he replied with certainty.

He nodded his head slightly in response, then turned his gaze back towards the direction Chloe had disappeared in. "Close the door, Enrique."

"Sir?" Sounding surprised.

"She's not getting out of here until I get answers. Close the door, and make sure it sticks."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor. Shall I come back at any particular time?"

"Preferably before the sound of splintering wood."

"Yes, sir."

Enrique had no idea what his employer meant by that, but knew better than to ask for elaboration. Using his shoulder, he closed the door firmly, then turned the small tumbler lock under the doorknob to make sure it could not be opened from the other side. Stepping back to stare at the door, Enrique took a deep unsettling breath. _'Be kind to him, Chloe, I beg of you, be kind._'

XxXxX

Chloe returned to find Lex sitting on the steps with a half empty bottle of wine in his hand. "Well, I found the wrench," she announced, holding it up for him to see. "So, we can bust out of here now."

"We're not breaking the door, Chloe," he stated firmly, corking the bottle.

"What are you, drunk?"

He chuckled without humor. "I'm far from drunk. But help yourself, there's plenty to pick from." Gesturing toward the wine selection.

"Okay...," she sounded with exaggeration, blinking in rapid succession. "What happened while I was gone that your attitude took a one-eighty?"

"I could ask you the same."

"Excuse me?" Covering her nervousness with incredulousness. She already figured he would ask, or imply something to that effect, and had mentally prepared herself for it.

He chuckled again, and rose to his feet. "It's not important." Walking past her to put the bottle back in a slot on the wine rack.

"Oh, no! The last time you said that, you didn't talk to me for three hours! What the hell did I do this time?!"

"You haven't done anything," he said smoothly, walking back to her to take the wrench from her hands. "But we're not breaking the door."

"You're up to something, Luthor, now what is it? Did you think of another way out? Or maybe you got the door opened after I left you alone," she accused, moving toward the steps. "That's it, isn't it?" she asked skipping up the steps. "You got it open and were going to make me think we were still stuck down here!" She reached the top and turned the doorknob, shoving forcibly against the wood with her shoulder, putting all her body weight behind it.

"I didn't get the door opened, Chloe." He called to her from below. _'Though I find it very interesting how close to the truth you are_.' He added in thought. "Besides, what possible reason would I have to keep you in a basement? You're staying with me in my own home."

She turned around and leaned her back against the door, kicking it hard with the bottom of her foot in frustration. "Then why won't you break the door so we can get out?" she asked, slowly descending the steps.

"I'm confident that my staff is working on solving the problem. It's just a matter of patiently waiting for them to get it open from the other side."

"This, coming from the man who almost dislocated his shoulder trying to push through solid wood?"

"I had some time to think about it," he replied nonchalantly. "Acting irrationally isn't going to get that door open any faster."

"No, but that wrench will!"

He chuckled at her, walking away with the wrench in his hand, then his tone became serious once more. "My only regret is that you've missed visiting with Gina and Pete. I know you were looking forward to that."

"Oh, yea," she voiced regrettably, plopping down on one of the steps. "Good thing I didn't call ahead. They would have worried if I didn't show up."

_'So that was the reason he refused to break through the door_.' She rationalized. She found it ironic that they were 'locked' in the basement on the night she wanted to visit with her friends. _'Ok, Luthor, two can play this game_.'

"You don't seem too upset," he observed aloud.

She shrugged. "I can go over another night."

He nodded, then walked over to the wine rack. Slipping the wrench into one of the slots before taking out the opened wine bottle. Going back to the steps, he sat down next to Chloe, causing her to have to scoot over to make room for him, and pulled out the cork.

"Would you like some?" he offered casually. "Sorry there aren't any glasses down here, at least none that I have seen."

She stared at him suspiciously. _'Since when do you get so close to people?_' she wondered privately, then smirked at him. "Why not?" she asked rhetorically, taking the bottle from him. "Doesn't look like we're going anywhere anytime soon."

_'You can sit as close as you want to me, Lex, I'm aware of what you're up to, and it ain't gonna work!_'

He gazed at her as she took a swallow of wine, a very small smirk hinting at the corner of his lips. _'You're willing to play the game, Chloe. But I wonder if you're willing to lose_.'

XxXxX

"Why would Enrique lock us in the basement?" Chloe asked out of the blue.

"I'm not sure he had."

"Oh come on, Lex! We've been sitting on these steps for over an hour! And if there's one think I know about Enrique, it's that he's good at what he does, and that's to take care of you at all times."

Lex chuckled at her slipped speech. "How much of that bottle have you drunk so far?"

Chloe held the bottle up to the light. "Almost all of it, why?" she asked, looking over at him. "I'm barely tipsy."

He knew that was a blatant lie. After the first bottle of wine, he switched to a nice flavored brandy, and could already feel the effects of it. Chloe had opened a bottle of zinfandel, and he could see its effect on her in her flushed cheeks, and the way she fidgeted next to him.

"Lex!" she exclaimed suddenly, slapping her hand onto his knee. "I can't believe that I forgot!"

"That I gave Enrique the day off?"

Her expression fell with that realization. "Oh. You did do that didn't you? We really are stuck down here then, ain't we?"

"For the time being, yes." He continued when she somberly stared ahead. "What did you forget, Chloe?"

"Oh!" She jumped up and spun around to face him, her face lit with new realization. "That there's an entire room with food in it! I can't believe you didn't remind me!" she spun on her heel, literally, to walk away from him. "I'm gettin something to eat!"

An amused smirk fixated on his face as he watched her walk in a not so straight line in the direction of the food storage room. '_Nah, you're not tipsy, Chloe, not one bit_.' he thought, rising to his feet to follow in her direction.

Entering the food storage room, he found her in front of the shelves grabbing various cans, loading them into her arms.

"I can't believe we sat down here this whole time '_starving_' while all this food sat here," she was saying out loud. "Ooh, peaches!"

"What do you plan on opening those with?" he asked calmly, keeping his amusement in check while referring to the cans in her arms.

"Huh?" She fixed him with a questioning expression, then his meaning slowly crept into her mind. "Hmm," Creasing her brow in thought. "We can squeeze it open with the wrench!" she exclaimed with bright eyes.

He moved to her side, almost sighing aloud, and began taking the cans from her, putting them back on the shelf.

"Yea, I guess not," she voiced agreeably. "That would be a little messy, wouldn't it?"

"Just a little."

She moved over to the next shelf, checking out the cereal boxes, and squealed with delight. She grabbed a box, then spun around to face him. Holding the box in front of her with both hands, shaking it from side to side, taunting him.

"Lex likes 'Lucky Char-arms'!" she sing sang, repeating it a couple more times before he motioned towards her, his expression impassive. "Hey!" she yelled, jumping back from him, hugging the box to her chest. "These are mine! Get your own!"

Giving her an almost bored expression, he reached past her shoulder for another box from the shelf. "What makes you think I'd share them with you anyway?"

She watched him walk off with a shocked expression on her face. "Wow, who would've thunk you'd be so damn possessive over a box of cereal!"

'Mental note: don't fuck with his cars or his cereal!'

He turned around to look at her pointedly, a broad smile of amusement clearly etched on his features. She looked back at him, her eyebrows arching with innocent bewilderment.

_'I did 'not' just think that out loud_.' She told herself.

He dipped his head, shaking it back and forth ever so slightly, and made himself comfortable on the floor, leaning his back against a crate. Crossing his ankles, he opened the box at his lap, and popped a handful into his mouth.

_'Oh shit. I said that out loud_,' she thought, making sure it remained only a thought that time. Refusing to be deterred, she stepped over to him, and sat cross legged near his side, facing him so they could talk. "Its nice to know that etiquette can go out the window with you sometimes," she commented, watching him pour the third fistful of cereal into his mouth, chomping loudly.

Lex glanced at her briefly, but remained quiet as he shoved his hand in the box for another scoop.

"I personally just like the marshmallows," she commented, opening her own box, and ripping the bag inside with gusto. "But I'm too hungry to care right now. Do you think we could make some milk?" Glancing over her shoulder to find the powdered milk mix on the shelf. She turned her attention back to Lex when he didn't answer her to find him simply staring at her with a quirked brow, his features constricted slightly with a sour expression. "I guess not," she stated with disappointment.

"Do you have any idea what that milk tastes like? Added to the fact that it wouldn't be cold."

"Sure I do," she defended with perkiness. "I went to summer camps! It tastes like recycled lake water, but I'm hungry and want milk in my cereal!" she stated with a demanding tone.

Staring at her thoughtfully for a minute, he picked at his back teeth with the tip of his tongue. _'And people think 'I'm' spoiled?_' "We could use an empty wine bottle to mix it in if you want it that badly."

Her face contorted with disgust at the thought of wine remnants in watery powdered milk. She slowly finished chewing, then swallowed, a sour expression still clearly etched on her features. "No, that's ok. I'll just go find something else to eat."

He grinned as his eyes lit on the empty water bottle that she had placed on a crate when they returned from the darker section of the basement. To Lex's relief, it hadn't occurred to her to use that instead of a wine bottle to mix the milk in. _'Good idea. Go find something else to eat_.'

XxXxX

Lex filled himself with the cereal while Chloe rummaged through the shelves to find something that came in a jar or box that she could get opened. A few minutes later, she returned to his side with an array of food items in her arms.

Plopping down ungracefully, she crossed her legs Indian style and gently let everything fall into her lap. Taking a quick inventory of her findings he noted a jar of olives, pickles, peanut butter, a box of breakfast tarts, wheat crackers, a bag of chocolate bits, and a can of tuna fish with a pop tab lid.

"You plan to eat all that?" he asked, his brows high on his forehead.

Lex wasn't one to question others concerning personal preferences. To each their own, he concluded in general. But that was an odd array of food, and he wasn't sure he wanted to watch her eat it.

"Of course not. You think I want to get sick? I'm just so hungry that it all looks edible right now, so I brought it all with me so I don't have to keep getting up."

He simply nodded in response, noticing that she went for the chocolate and peanut butter first.

"You want some?"

"No thank you."

"Olives?"

"No."

"What did you do, eat the entire box of cereal?" she asked, then leaned forward and stretched her arm out, grabbing the box at his side. Peaking inside, her eyebrows went up with mild surprise. "Damn, you really do like these things, don't you?" she asked rhetorically. Looking up at him, she handed him the box, smirking. "You missed a blue moon."

He took the box and put it back at his side, folding his arms across his chest.

"Aw, come on," she teased. "We both know you want to dig in there and get that little marshmallow."

"No, I don't."

"Sure you do!" grabbing the box again, shaking it to make the little piece rattle. "Listen to that, it's in there all by itself because you ate the rest."

"Chloe," he chuckled with humor. "Eat the damn thing."

"Are you sure? I don't want to take the last piece if you want it."

"Feel free to enjoy it immensely."

Without any more argument she reached in the box, grabbed the blue moon marshmallow, then popped it in her mouth. "Why do you keep staring at me like that?" she asked casually.

"I admire how you make the best out of a situation," he stated lightly. "I don't know of anyone who would willingly accept being stuck in the basement, knowing all the comforts are upstairs."

"Don't think for one minute I wouldn't want to be upstairs sitting in a nice soft chair with a cup of coffee in my hand, not to mention decent food," she replied, opening the box of breakfast tarts. "Besides, you refused to break the door open," she shrugged, "If you can wait this out, then I sure as hell can."

"None the less, you're being gracious about it. Or do you plan to use the advantage and roam some more while your down here?" he asked, his tone depicting nothing more than mild curiosity.

"No, I've seen enough down here," she answered firmly, then smiled over at him. "I'm perfectly content to sit here with you and wait for someone to come to our rescue."

Lex leaned his head back to thoughtfully stare at the ceiling while Chloe munched on some food. _'Damn, she's learned how to play by my rules_.' He thought. _'I might actually have to work at getting anything out of her._'


	7. Chapter 7

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 7

Chloe returned with a jar of strawberry jam to where Lex was lounging on the floor. Nudging at him to move, she settled herself between his thighs, and comfortably leaned back against his chest, then looked back and up at him. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Why would I mind?"

"Because you're mister, _'Don't touch me or something bad will happen to you_.'"

"I never said that."

"Yes you did." She reached up over her shoulder and grabbed his chin between her thumb and first two fingers, though not harshly like she had the last time. He remained still for all of a few seconds before pulling his head back, breaking the contact. "See?" she smiled devilishly at him. "You can't stand it."

He was grateful that she turned her attention toward getting the lid off the jar, giving him a moment to close his eyes and forcibly refrain from reacting to her touch. In the position she had settled herself, she would have felt exactly how bothered he could be by her touch, and he wanted to avoid her knowing that.

"Dammit!" she exclaimed, making a grunting noise while trying to twist off the lid.

"Here, let me..." he started, reaching around her arm for the jar.

"No!" she snapped, hugging the jar to her chest, and hiding it from him so he couldn't take it. "I can get this. I '_will_' get this!"

She attempted again to twist the lid loose, her entire body tensed with the effort. She gave up, breathing hard and stared at the offending object with a death glare. Grabbing it once more for another try, she prepped herself for the next bout, her ass wiggling back against Lex in the process.

"Dammit Chloe, give me the jar!" he snapped, and grabbed it from her hands before she could stop him. Before she could protest, he grabbed the lid, and with one swift twist, had it popped open.

"Oh sure," she said snidely. "After I got it loose, you come along and pop it right open!" She reached back to take the jar from his hand. Lex thought she had a hold of it and let it go. The jar dropped to the floor next to them, landing on its side, and spilled half the jam onto the floor.

"Wow, and it didn't even break!" she exclaimed, picking it up to look for cracks in the glass. Then looked down at the mess. "I sure as hell hope that that doesn't attract any rats."

"If it does, we can just hit them over the head with the wrench," Lex stated with a shrug.

"Ewwww! That is gross!" Turning to look back at him again. "You are really morbid, you know that?"

He raised a brow questioningly at her. "And that comes as a surprise to you?"

She twisted around even more to meet his gaze, realized his eyes were full of humor, and turned around to lean against him again. "I'm not even going to answer that."

She busied herself with dipping her finger into the jar, scraping the sides to scoop some jam onto her finger. Halfway to her mouth, he took hold of her hand near her wrist.

"What?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

He eased her hand up towards her shoulder, leaned forward behind her, and put her jam coated finger into his mouth. He slowly sucked on it, his tongue lapping at the stickiness. He slowly pulled it out, then wrapped his lips around it once more, watching how her eyes fixated on what he was doing to her.

His tongue caressed the entire length of her finger as he eased his mouth back to the tip, then licked at it around all sides before flicking the tip of his tongue across the tip of her finger. He licked at his lips, then shifted his gaze to hers.

"I like strawberry jam."

She hardly heard him speak. The shock of him taking her hand to suck on her finger in the first place was quickly replaced with the desire to feel his lips, and tongue, on other parts of her body. She had no idea that her own tongue had been mimicking his motions along her lips.

She swallowed hard, the jam jar finally slipping from the loose grip of her other hand, causing it to land with a thud between her knees. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but couldn't get her mind to work fast enough.

Releasing her hand, he slid his fingers to the side of her neck, and tilted her face back with his thumb under her jaw. Bending over her, he slowly took her lips in his, running his tongue over them for her to open her mouth. She complied without hesitation, tasting the sweetness on his tongue.

She gently nudged at his shoulder when he shifted slightly for a better position, breaking the kiss instead of deepening it. "It's your turn," she grinned at him, her voice raspy, her breathing uneven. She held up the jar, daring him with her eyes to refuse to get his fingers sticky.

He smirked and, while holding her eye contact, dipped his index finger into the jar. After making sure it was well coated, he pulled it out and placed it at her lips, challenging her to do her worst, or best, however you wanted to look at it.

She met his eyes daringly, parting her lips just enough to engulf half his finger, closing the soft flesh around the digit, licking at the jelly leisurely with the tip of her tongue. Capturing it between her tongue and the roof of her mouth she sucked on it firmly while pulling her head back until only his fingertip remained inside.

Leaning forward she took his entire finger into her mouth, repeating her motions of licking and sucking on it.

He refused to fully give in to the effect she was having on him. There was too much challenge in her eyes for this to be anything but retaliation on her part. It didn't matter that neither of them were breathing normally, nor that both of them had desire darkened eyes. They were playing with each other, neither of them willing to be the one to give in first.

He held her gaze, waiting to see if she would pull him closer and kiss him as he had her. Secretly hoping she would, while dreading what his reaction would be at the same time. She swayed ever so slightly towards him, her eyes transfixed on his mouth. Her hand went up between them, slowly, as though she was about to touch him, then stopped.

"I know the perfect thing to wash that down with!" she exclaimed suddenly, scurried to her feet, and rushed to the wine cellar.

Checking over her shoulder to make sure he couldn't see her, she nearly collapsed at finally letting herself breathe erratically. She felt like her knees would buckle from under her, she could feel how flushed her face was, and her entire body was so hot with arousal that she felt lightheaded.

She was playing with fire, she realized that now. But after he had sucked on her finger, then the way he had kissed her, what was she supposed to do?! She couldn't do what she '_wanted_' to do, which was to give in, so she decided to turn the tables on him. To play his game by his rules. Now she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to keep up the pretense.

But the reaction she got from him was unexpected, too. She saw how his breathing changed, how his eyes darkened with desire, how he had looked at her. He wanted her to kiss him, he wanted her to give in. Her own reaction to him was even worse, she wanted to give in so bad it hurt. But that wasn't part of the game. Giving in wasn't an option, unless she made him 'make' her give in.

Getting her breathing back to somewhat normal, she squared her shoulders and set her resolve. With tongue in cheek, she grabbed a bottle at random from the wine rack, and returned to the other room, ready for the next round.

A sharp breath of frustration had escaped his lips as she had left the room. _'Dammit, Chloe, you are stubborn!_' he thought, then tossed a few ideas in his head of how to get around that defense barrier of hers. He now knew for certain that she wasn't just playing his game. She wouldn't look at him the way she had, she wouldn't respond to him the way she had, if she was simply toying with him. But she had a stubborn will almost equal to his own. Almost, but not quite.

_'I've been playing this game a lot longer than you have, Chloe,_' he thought, leaning back more comfortably. _'Add that with a little patience, and I will have everything I've ever wanted_.'

XxXxX

(fourth night-still in the basement)

"You know, all in all, this isn't so bad," Chloe stated, popping another piece of chocolate into her mouth, then took another swig of wine.

After returning with another bottle of wine, she had resettled herself between Lex's legs to lean against his chest. She knew she was being a glutton for punishment, but a part of her hoped that he wouldn't give up, and she would eventually be able to give in. In the meantime, she refused to be the one to back down.

"Barring the problem of having to relieve ourselves, I'd have to agree with you," Lex stated, taking the bottle from her to drink some himself.

"Oh don't remind me of '_that_'," she groaned. "I don't want to have to do that again."

"Then you might want to stop drinking," he suggested as he felt her shiver against him. "Are you cold?"

"It's starting to feel cooler down here, damper too."

He put the bottle aside, and wrapped his arms around her. "Is this better?"

"Yea, a little," she voiced, sounding uncertain. She was again surprised by his willingness to show physical contact. But he was warm, and she liked the feeling of him holding her, so she took advantage of his offer and snuggled back against him.

Letting her head rest near his shoulder, she found herself yawning when only a few minutes before she was ready to challenge him again and see exactly who could withstand whom. But, the beating of his heart, along with his warmth, was lulling her to sleep. Her mind drifted back to finding Lillian's note just as she felt him lightly kiss the side of her face, just above her cheek.

She craned her neck back, turning her face up to look at him. "Lex?" Her entire countenance had changed. She had become quiet and thoughtful. "Why would you call me a friend? I mean, we never did anything together. We've never watched a movie, seen a play, had dinner, nothing."

"You showed me your friendship in other ways, Chloe. You weren't a business partner, or an associate. You weren't on my payroll, and I wasn't blackmailing you," he added with a brief little smirk before continuing seriously. "You helped me when no one else would, you came to me with information you thought I needed, you made me aware of things that I otherwise wouldn't have been aware of, and you did it all because you wanted to. Isn't that what friends do for each other?"

"I never thought of it that way," she admitted softly, lowering her cheek to his chest again. After another couple minutes of silence, she asked softly, "Have I ever refused anything from you, Lex?" Her eyes were full of emotion when she lifted her face up to look at him again. She seemed to hold her breath while waiting for his answer.

"I never offered you anything to refuse, Chloe."

Her relief was tangible. Her shoulders relaxed visibly, her breath came out in a rush, and a content smile graced her lips. She resettled herself comfortably, closing her eyes.

"What did you find down here, Chloe?" he asked in a low voice.

"Piles of old junk," she answered softly, starting to drift off. "Stuff nobody wanted."

He stared down at the top of her head, feeling her slip into sleep. 'That's _the same thing Enrique said_.' He thought, his mind trying to piece together something he didn't have any of the pieces for. He held her close, being content for the moment with knowing for certain that something was in the basement worth looking for.

XxXxX

"Mr. Luthor," Enrique whispered, not wanting to wake up Chloe.

It had been a few hours since he'd heard any sounds coming from the basement, and he had decided to investigate. Reaching the wine cellar, his back went rigid at not finding them near the steps. It relaxed greatly however, as he made his way further into the lighted sections and found them both sleeping, Chloe comfortably snuggled within his employers arms.

"Mr. Luthor," he called quietly again, then began to unfold the blanket he had brought with him in case of finding such a situation.

Lex's eyes flew open the second the material touched his body. It took a few seconds for his mind to catch up with him. But when it did, he settled back down, slightly tightening his arm around Chloe.

"Just leave us here," he ordered in a sleep gruff voice, tucking the blanket around them both.

"Would you prefer some assistance with moving upstairs, sir?"

"No, I wouldn't. Good night, Enrique."

"Good night, sir," the servant replied, turning to leave.

"Enrique. I want a contractor to meet with me tomorrow afternoon."

"Very well, sir." Taking another step after pausing to listen to Lex's instruction.

"And get rat control down here first thing in the morning."

"Rats, sir?" Completely turning around to look at him. "Are you certain you wouldn't like to..."

Chloe shifted in her sleep, both men quietly watched to make sure she settled back down again. She did, after pressing herself fully against Lex, with the blanket securely wrapped around them.

"We'll talk in the morning," Lex whispered.

Enrique nodded, and left them to sleep on the cold floor, berating himself for only bringing one blanket. He paused at the threshold, turning around to look back at them.

Lex semi raised himself to lean on his elbow, and peered down at the woman near him. He brushed a strand of Chloe's hair from over her closed eyes, wrapped his arm around her securely, then laid back down to rest his head on his other arm, stretching his legs out fully under the blanket. Chloe murmured softly in her sleep, and shifted closer to his body, accommodating herself to his slightly changed position.

Enrique smiled warmly at them, thinking maybe Lex had had the right idea of keeping her down there with him for a while. If nothing else it forced them to remain in the same company longer than they had managed so far.

Glancing around the room his sharp gaze noted the array of half eaten foods and empty boxes, along with a few wine bottles neatly set aside, and the spilled jam on the floor. He sighed inwardly at seeing the empty cereal box, and wondered if he'd get any lip for lying about there not being any in the castle. With a resigned sigh, he silently walked to the shelves and took a couple boxes to take upstairs with him.

"Make sure there's plenty of cold milk to go with it," Lex stated in a relaxed tone with closed eyes.

"Of course, sir," he replied in a low voice, then left, leaving the cellar door wide open for when they awoke in the morning.

XxXxX

(Day Four)

Chloe woke up to feel fingers idly stroking through her hair. She remained still for a few minutes, enjoying the feeling of being gently fawned over, until her bodily needs refused to be ignored any longer.

"Were we rescued last night?" she asked, still not moving.

"Yes, the door was opened sometime after you fell asleep."

"Good," she said, rising to separate herself from him. Her brow creased irritably when she was only able to move about an inch above him, and glanced down at him for some explanation.

"We're tangled in the blanket," he explained. "It seems you're a restless sleeper who can't lay still longer than fifteen minutes at a time."

"Don't fuck with me when I'm not even fully awake, Lex," she growled with warning. "Maybe laying on top of your bony ass on a cold rock floor could have had something to do with it, you think?"

"I'm not holding you down," he said, choosing not to address her insults, showing his hands freely.

"No," she grunted, trying to pull the blanket from around her. "You're just...," she pulled on the material harder. "Lying on the... would you move!"

He shifted the left side of his body so she could pull the blanket out from under him. With that done, she tossed it off completely and got to her feet. Without another word, she strode purposefully out of the room, waited until she reached the wine cellar, then broke into a full run, taking the steps two at a time, to the nearest bathroom!

_'Definitely not a morning person_.' Lex commented to himself, then rose to join her upstairs. He no sooner firmly closed the basement door, when Enrique appeared with two maids in tow.

"Did you sleep well, sir?"

Lex gave his butler a pointed look, and decided to not even answer that question. "Were you able to schedule an appointment with a contractor?"

"Yes, sir. He will be here at three."

"And rat control?"

"They are scheduled for eleven. I also took the liberty of scheduling your masseuse. She will be here in two hours."

"Thank you," he said, wondering why the man asked how he slept when he knew damn well he was on a cold rock all night.

He had tried to get as much of the blanket as possible under his back, but with Chloe constantly shifting her weight, and moving in various positions close to or on top of him, it was a wonder he got any sleep at all. Not that he was complaining, having her so close was nice. It just would've been better in softer quarters.

"I don't want anything disturbed down there just yet," Lex informed Enrique. "There are a few things I need to check, and I'd like to do a walk through with you concerning cleaning out certain areas."

"You wish to leave the food and wine areas as is also?"

"For now, yes." He fixed the servant with a blatant stare, making sure the man understood his orders. The man nodded accordingly and shooed the maids away with a subtle gesture of his hand. Satisfied, Lex turned his attention to the next matter in his mind. "Did you by any chance see where Chloe went?"

"To the nearest restroom, sir. I believe she was complaining about not hitting something with a wrench?" he daringly half asked.

Lex nodded with understanding, but didn't elaborate to his butler. "After I get everything straightened in the basement, you have my permission to have that door replaced."

"Thank you, sir. It '_is_' about time," the man said with a small smile. Lex met his eyes dead on, not being amused by the statement at all. "It '_has_' been a few years of my reminding you of this problem, sir. I am simply overjoyed at finally being able to fix it."

Lex walked away without further comment. If that's what the man considered insubordination, then let him get off on it. Lex was more concerned about getting a shower, getting breakfast, and getting back in that basement to find... whatever it was that Chloe had found.

XxXxX

After taking a quick shower and getting dressed, Chloe headed to the pantry for a much needed cup of coffee. Enrique, with his premeditated efficiency, had it ready, hot and waiting for her by the time she entered the room.

"You are absolutely a god send, Enrique," she complimented, sitting in a chair while wrapping her hands around her cup, and taking a languid sip of her brew.

"I wasn't sure what to tell the cook to prepare for your breakfast. Is there anything specific that you would prefer this morning?"

"Mmm," she contemplated. "I'd like some pancakes with butter and syrup, please."

"Very well, Chloe. I will return shortly."

"Thank you, Enrique," she replied, sipping leisurely at her hot coffee while waiting for him to come back.

He returned a few short minutes later with a plate of hot pancakes, toast, and a glass of orange juice on a tray. Setting everything before her, he automatically took her coffee mug to refill it while she picked up her utensils to dig into her breakfast hungrily.

"I was wondering, if I may ask, if you planned to venture downstairs again any time soon?" he asked, setting the mug back on the table.

"Not if I can help it, no," she replied with half a mouthful. "I had more than enough of the basement, thank you."

"Very well, then," he acknowledged, and motioned to step away.

"Wait a minute," she said, swallowing her food. "Why?" she asked, looking at him suspiciously.

"Mr. Luthor has forbidden us to enter the basement without his accompaniment," he informed her coyly.

"Huh? What do you mean," she asked slowly. "He's forbidden us to enter the basement without him?"

"Not you, Chloe. Us, as in his staff. He did not specify any orders to prevent you from going back down there."

"He's going for the boxes, isn't he?" she asked in a whispered tone.

"It would seem so." Her answer verifying in his mind that Chloe had in fact found the boxes he'd been secreting all these years.

"How could I be so stupid?" she asked herself rhetorically. "He asked me 'twice' what I had found down there. I knew he suspected something!" She raised her gaze to Enrique. "It's all my fault, I was acting different around him. He found me right after I found Lillian's note."

"There is no blame in this, Chloe. It was inevitable that he would discover the truth eventually. It's only by pure luck he hadn't questioned me sooner concerning disregarded items."

"This is one truth that I don't want him to find out," she stated in a low tone, standing up from the table. "I don't care what you think of me, we're not going to let him find those boxes."

"How do you suggest we do that?"

"Why were they kept in the first place? Why weren't they thrown away or given to charity?"

"It would have required the involvement of too many people, to answer both those questions. Until yesterday, I was the only one who was aware of this."

"Then we'll move them. There's like a hundred rooms in this place, I'm sure we can find '_somewhere_' to put them."

"He plans to have a 'walk through' of the basement with me later, I suggest we move them before that."

Chloe nodded. "Yea, where is he now?"

"In his room."

Chloe bit her lip thoughtfully, knowing he wouldn't be up there much longer. "I'll be right back, I have an idea." She turned on her heels and darted from the pantry, heading for the basement.

XxXxX

She had to pull at the door four times before it opened with a loud screeching sound. Hoping nobody, particularly Lex, heard that, she rushed down the steps and through the storage rooms. Grabbing one of the flashlights off a water crate, she darted quickly along the corridors, pausing only once to get her bearings, before finding the little nitch with the boxes in it.

Without pause she grabbed the top boxes, dropping them to the floor, and started opening them. Without any regard to the writing on the sides she unceremoniously dumped everything from many boxes into one. When that was half full, she put the lid on it and set it aside to be moved to another hiding place.

Moving right along without pause, she repeated this process with the next several boxes, reducing those down to two half filled boxes. Reaching the last five on the bottom she found that they were already almost full, and simply put them with the rest. All in all, her efforts left her with eight boxes instead of twenty.

She turned around and looked at the empty boxes that were littered all around her. A disgruntled expression creased her face. If they hadn't been marked she could have simply left them there. No one would think twice about empty boxes in a basement. But as it were, they each had their yearly markings clearly visible on the sides. The thought of breaking them down occurred to her, which would make them easier to hide, but she didn't have that much time.

_'Come on, Chloe, think. THINK!_' she silently yelled to herself. Then an idea struck her, and she liked it. Without another minute to waste, she grabbed as many empties that she could carry and headed off to find one of the sections with piles of junk already filled in it.

Exactly three trips later all the empty boxes were safely hidden among the junk of Lex's ex wives. Stacking two of the half filled boxes together, she picked them up and headed back towards the steps, hoping she was able to get them hidden without Lex catching her.

XxXxX

"Where's Miss Sullivan?" Lex asked Enrique, stepping into the pantry.

He had entered to find his butler fussing over some trivial thing at the counter, a breakfast platter sitting on the table, touched, but not eaten, and Chloe nowhere in sight.

"I'm not sure, sir," he answered with a tone of bewilderment, turning to face Lex. "She simply stated that she would be right back, and rushed from the room." Lex's gaze immediately turned in the direction of the basement door, even though he couldn't see it from inside the pantry. "Would you like me to tell her that you are looking for her?"

He shifted his eyes back to the butler, speculation running deep within his mind. "Yes, please inform her that..."

"Excuse me, Mr. Luthor," a maid interrupted tentatively from behind him. "The masseuse is here for your appointment, sir," she continued when he turned around.

"Show her to the exercise room."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor."

Lex turned back around to find Enrique still waiting patiently for him to finish his instructions concerning Chloe. "Tell Chloe I'll be in the exercise room, and for her to meet me there when she is finished with her meal," he stated directly.

"Very well, sir."

Lex stepped into the hallway, glanced left in the direction of the basement, then half turned to look back at Enrique, who had continued with his chore at the counter. After another brief pause, he turned right and headed for the exercise room.

XxXxX

Chloe returned to the pantry a few minutes after Lex had left. Enrique turned to look at her as she tiredly plopped into the chair. Her face was flushed, her breathing labored, and a slight line of sweat dotted her forehead.

"Have you seen Lex?"

"He was here a few minutes ago looking for you. I believe he suspects something, but is currently having his massage. He wishes for you to join him in the exercise room after you've eaten."

She nodded, picked up the orange juice and drank half the glass thirstily. "I've minimized the number of boxes, and put them behind the water crates in the storage area for now." She informed him. "He'd have to half climb over them to see the boxes on the floor, so they should be safe until we can think of somewhere else to move them."

"Would you like me to reheat that for you?" he asked, gesturing toward her plate.

"No, it's ok. I'm too hungry to care," she replied, shoveling a forkful of pancakes into her mouth. After chewing most of it, she continued speaking. "Where do you think we could hide them?" she asked, referring back to the matter at hand. "I had no problem carrying two of them, but those other five are a little heavy."

Enrique gazed down at her with an almost shocked expression. "I wouldn't have you carrying them, Chloe, I would assume that responsibility myself."

She stopped in mid chew to look at him. "I can at least help."

"Chloe," he said, his expression deep with appreciation. "You've already helped more than I could ever have asked of you. I will take this matter back into my own hands. You no longer need to concern yourself with it."

"Oh, no, you don't!" she exclaimed. "You can't expect me to simply walk away from this. I found those boxes, I read the note, there is no way I'm going to let you just push me aside like this."

"Chloe, please. I beg of you, don't let this concern you any longer. Lex is confident that you have found something, and he will tear the basement apart looking for it. When he doesn't find anything to satisfy his suspicions, he will turn on you, and I don't want you to lie to him more than you already have."

Chloe had glared at him at first for trying to exclude her, then let her gaze drop unseeingly to the table. He had a valid point, she didn't want to lie to Lex either. They were starting to be the friends he already deemed them to be, and she didn't want that to get messed up.

"Ok," she conceded in a low voice. "I'll let you handle it from here. I'll just keep finding that note to myself."

"Thank you, Chloe," he replied earnestly, lightly touching her shoulder before exiting the room.


	8. Chapter 8

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 8

After eating her breakfast, Chloe had returned to her room to change since her clothes had gotten dirty while she was in the basement, silently thankful that Lex hadn't seen her before hand to know what she had been wearing. She also came up with the perfect excuse of why she had left the pantry in such a rush.

"I seriously hope you didn't order me to come find you as sternly as Enrique made it sound," Chloe announced lightly as she entered the exercise room.

Lex was face down on the massage table, his back starting to feel like the million bucks he was worth. Jenna had managed to rid his back, shoulders and neck of all the tension knots he usually carried with him at any given time. Though, despite Chloe's light tone when she came in, a couple muscles in his neck tightened instinctively in preparation of what he needed to address with her.

"I was merely concerned," he replied in a relaxed tone. Only Jenna knew otherwise by how he slightly tensed under her hands. "I was told you rushed from the pantry suddenly, and I wanted to make sure you are alright."

"Oh," she droned. "I didn't realize I needed to explain my every move, but if you need to know that badly, I had to return to my room to take care of a 'personal' matter, Lex."

He raised his head, only to rest it sideways on the face pillow to look over at her. If he had been watching her the entire time, he may not have caught that ever so slight lilt in her tone. As it was, he had relied solely on his hearing while she spoke to him. She was lying, and he knew it.

"But everything is alright now?" he questioned.

"As alright as every other damn month," she replied disgruntled.

His eyes widened slightly with realization. Her menstruating being the 'personal' matter hadn't occurred to him, but it would explain her sudden rush from breakfast. _'Which is also something she can prove if I challenged her about it_.' He thought, which he wasn't about to do. He also found himself second guessing the reason of that slight lilt in her tone, at least at that moment anyway. PMS effected women in many different ways, he knew that much, and yet he wasn't completely convinced that she wasn't lying to him.

"That'll be all, Jenna. Thank you."

The woman nodded and stepped back from him as he grabbed the towel at his waist, he positioned himself to sit up.

"Was that all you wanted to know?" Chloe asked, her expression full of amusement. She knew he wouldn't argue the point, or at least knew he had the decency not to. But the ironic thing was that her period had come sometime that morning, though not at the time she was telling Lex it had.

"No," he stated, reaching for the robe Jenna slung over the massage table for him. "I was given the folder you left on the hall table yesterday," he continued. He stood up and shrugged on the robe, pulled the folds closed at his chest, then tied the belt at his waist. "I'm assuming that you wanted to discuss something concerning Nancy with me?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do," she replied while her eyes caressed over his body as he put on his robe. "I'd like to know why you failed to mention that Nancy Garret worked for your father, and more importantly, why you think this isn't relevant?"

"Chloe, I personally have over two thousand employees in Smallville alone, my father's employment capacity extended into the millions. Nancy Garret was merely an employee of no consequence. She had worked for a LuthorCorp owned company, not my father directly. Which makes that connection very irrelevant."

Chloe pursed her lips thoughtfully, finding herself having to agree with him once again. "Ok," she voiced amicably, nodding her head. "Would you like to explain why she has been widowed three times?"

"I'd be glad to. As soon as I shower and change we can discuss this in greater detail. I have information in my office that explains everything concerning Nancy's previous marriages."

"Then you won't mind me looking at that information while I wait for you?"

"Not at all. The files are on my desk. Help yourself."

She nodded and turned for the door just as the towel around Lex's waist, under his robe, fell to the floor to pool around his feet. She stopped, catching the movement peripherally, and turned her head quickly in a double take action. She looked at the towel, then up at his face.

"You dropped something," she smirked, her brows raised with amusement, before continuing out the door.

Lex's gaze followed after her, a smirk of his own on his lips at knowing that the towel hadn't slipped by accident.

XxXxX

After Lex showered and changed, he entered his office to find Chloe seated behind his desk, her attention thoroughly absorbed in the folders he had left for her. "I assume you found the answers you were looking for?" he asked, approaching the desk.

She closed the folder with one hand, turning in the chair toward the desk, and flicked it with disgruntlement on top of the other two files.

"Yea," she replied, her tone laced with disgruntled frustration. She stared at the folders for a moment, tapping her fingers on the desk. "Unless," she stated with renewed optimism, leaning forward in the chair. She grabbed the bottom most folder, and opened it to browse over the information once more. Lex looked on as she flipped from one folder to another trying to find a common connection.

"Chloe," he stated calmly. "There's no connection with the deaths. Her first husband was her high school sweet heart who over dosed at a college fraternity party."

"I know that, but..."

"Her second husband was killed in action during the war," he continued, not letting her interrupt. "And her third husband died of a heart attack several years ago. There is no connection between them."

She stared unseeingly at the folder in her hand while Lex spoke. She pressed her lips into a fine line, biting down on them to keep them from trembling. By the time he was finished, her eyes were filled with tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks.  
She wasn't finding what she was looking for. Every lead she had found turned into a dead end, forcing her to accept bit by bit that there was nothing abnormal about Nancy at all.

Lex walked around the desk and gently took the folder from her hand, putting it aside without regard. He leaned over her and reached out to place his hands at her shoulders, turning her in the swivel chair to face him.

"Chloe," he addressed softly. He placed two fingers gently under her chin, tilting her face up to meet his eyes. "There's nothing there."

He saw the torment in her eyes, her expression changing fleetingly with her effort to fight her tears, to hide her hurt, her determination of not wanting to admit that she could have been wrong. She reached up for him, snaked her hand around the back of his neck, and drew him down to her to rest her forehead at the crook of his neck. A choked sob escaped her lips, then she took a deep gasping breath as she tried to hold her emotions in check.

He felt her squeeze her eyes shut tight, felt her tears against the side of his neck. Her shuddering breaths tore at his heart. He silently put his hand at the back of her head, his fingers gently caressed her scalp, then smoothed her hair in a comforting motion.

After a couple of minutes, Chloe gently eased back from him, easing herself from his embrace. "God," she exclaimed with an uneasy breath. "Would you look at me," she said, sniffling and wiping the wetness from under her eyes with rough fingers. "I'm such a wreck I've got you hugging people!" she laughed, trying to get her emotions under control.

He chuckled lightly in response. He knew he had always been distant when it came to physical contact, even more so during the past few years, but the extent of that distance had never occurred to him until that very moment.

He'd been reaching out to Chloe so much, he thought he was being obvious in his desire to be close to her. But, it was apparent that he was viewed as being completely untouchable, even by Chloe.

"If you don't mind," she started saying as she rose from the chair. "I think I'll go visit Pete and Gina today."

"Not a problem. I have appointments this afternoon with the contractor concerning the basement anyway. Enjoy you're visit with your friends."

Chloe double blinked in confusion as she watched him stroll from the office. His tone had been cordial, if not a little curt. _'What the hell was that about?_' she thought. _'One minute he's the block of strength, the next he's a block of ice_.' Shaking her head, she straightened the paperwork on his desk to a neat pile, then left his office to get ready to go out.

XxXxX

"Hey," Chloe greeted Gina with a big smile when she opened the door. "I stopped by the Talon, but they told me you already left for the day."

"Chloe!" Gina returned with a broad, welcoming smile. "Yea, I needed to take the afternoon off to get some home things done before the Friday night rush."

"Is it okay for an old friend to just stop by unannounced, or should I have called first?" she asked with a tentative smile when Gina hadn't invited her in.

"Oh, god no! Come on in!" she exclaimed, opening the door wide and stepping aside for Chloe to enter. "I don't know where my mind is today," she laughed. "Shauna's been in rare form, Pete called to tell me he'd be home late tonight," she informed Chloe as she closed the door behind her. "I have a repair man trying to fix the washer, and I haven't even gone grocery shopping yet!"

"Sounds like I have impeccable timing," Chloe laughed nervously. "Maybe I should just come back another..."

"No, not at all!" Gina insisted, not letting her finish her sentence. "Don't you '_dare_' think you're not welcome here, ever! I don't care what's going on, I can always squeeze in time for a friend."

Just then a crashing sound was heard from the kitchen.

"Shauna Alexandria Ross!" Gina yelled at the top of her lungs, projecting her voice toward the kitchen.

Chloe paused to look at her with astonishment. One reason being the tone and volume of her friend's voice. Secondly, Chloe had never thought of the child's full name before that moment, and wondered if there was any implication with Lex.

"It was an accident, Mommy!" a little girl's voice yelled back from the other room.

"Excuse me for a minute, Chloe," Gina said apologetically, before rushing into the kitchen.

Chloe slowly followed behind, reaching the kitchen doorway to find Gina already down on a knee, picking up the larger pieces of a broken bowl along with scattered grapes. She smiled warmly, remembering back in high school when Gina was a cheerleader for the Crows, and worked part-time at the Talon in senior year. She had sworn back then that she would never have children, _'Why would I want a slobbering, screaming, baby that stinks no matter how much powder you use on them?_' Gina had asked Chloe one day when they were hypothesizing about their futures.

Chloe had laughed and sympathized with her friend. She herself just couldn't see having the time to devote to a child. Interesting how things change when you meet the right man. Gina had given Pete a 'sympathy' date one night, just to get him to leave her alone. That date turned into two, then three. When Pete moved to Wichita, it hit Gina as hard as it had Chloe, for different reasons of course.

They somehow managed to visit each other as frequently as possible, keeping in touch via internet. When Pete returned to Smallville three years after leaving, it was only to be with Gina, who had become the temporary manager of the Talon by that point. He had gotten a job as a computer systems technician in Metropolis, and despite the long commute, was happy with his job and family.

Putting her purse on the table, Chloe bent to help collect the wayward pieces of fruit that had rolled all over the floor.

"Who's that, Mommy?" Shauna asked, pointing at Chloe.

"That's mommy and daddy's friend Chloe."

"Aunt Chloe!" the little girl shrilled happily, and flung herself from a two foot standing position to land unceremoniously in Chloe's arms, almost knocking her off balance.

After the initial hug, Shauna pulled her upper body back to look at Chloe's face, touching her cheek with her sticky little fingers. "My mommy gave me a picture of you," she said informatively. "But you look different," she almost pouted. Then her face lit up with excitement. "I keep it in my big girls pocketbook! I'll go get it and show you!"

Chloe turned bewildered eyes toward Gina, who had observed the scene from the pile of broken ceramic. "Wash your hands first, Shauna, they're sticky from the grapes."

"Ok, mommy!" the child replied, then bounded from the kitchen.

"I didn't realize how far I drifted from our friendship, Gina," Chloe said softly, standing up after the child skipped out of the room. "I've never been an Aunt before," she added with a weak smile.

"I told you that you were a part of this family, you never believed me," Gina shrugged nonchalantly. Getting to her feet she went to the sink and got a washrag for Chloe to wipe her face.

"I'm starting to get that," Chloe stated, wiping the stickiness from her cheek.

"Gina!" Pete's voice bellowed from the living room with urgency, the front door softly slamming behind him.

"Pete?" Gina said with confusion, heading to meet him in the other room. "What happened? Why are you home so early?"

"I got a call from Lex. He told me to get my ass home right away but he didn't say why," he explained slightly out of breath. "What happened? Are you alright? Where's Shauna? Whose car is that outside?"

Gina relaxed her posture at hearing why her husband was home so early, and smiled warmly. But before she could answer him, Chloe appeared from around the door frame, catching Pete's attention immediately.

"Chloe," he stated in monotone, then a smile slowly spread across his face. "You telling me that I got half a day off because you came over for a visit?" he asked with a broad smile and enthusiasm, leaving Gina to give Chloe a hug. "Damn, you have to come visit more often!"

"Hi, Pete," Chloe greeted with a smile, returning his hug.

"It seems that we're not the only ones who think that either," Gina stated with a touch of sarcasm, referring to Lex calling Pete to get him home in time to see Chloe.

"Yea, apparently," Chloe laughed, pulling back from Pete's arms. "I'm sorry Lex scared you half to death," she added, looking up at Pete. "I could only imagine what was going through your mind, getting a phone call from Lex personally, telling you to get home. I'm actually surprised the door is still on its hinges!"

"Right," Pete sounded uncomfortably, stepping back from her to glance briefly at his wife.

"Or…, am I missing something?" Chloe asked slowly, glancing from one to the other.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Shauna yelled, running into the room to throw herself at Pete. He caught her easily and swung her around in a circle, making her giggle contagiously, and her face flush with excitement. "Stop it, daddy!" she squealed within her laughter. "Stop!" Pete stopped his spinning. "Aunt Chloe is here! I have to show her my big girl's pocketbook!"

"Oh, that's very serious!" he stated, playfully mimicking a serious tone. He put her down, not letting go until he was sure her feet were on the floor.

Chloe wanted to address why they became uncomfortable when she mentioned Lex, but found herself being dragged into the world of a five year old who thought having a 'big girls' pocketbook was the best thing on the planet.

XxXxX

After Shauna showed Chloe '_everything_' she had inside her pocketbook, Gina returned from the kitchen and suggested firmly for Shauna to go play in her room for a little bit. Begrudgingly, the little girl listened to her mother, and dragged her feet, and purse, along the carpet as she made her way to her room.

"She is definitely a handful!" Chloe laughed when the child was out of sight. "But she is so beautiful. I can definitely see both of you in her. Luckily she gets her looks from her mother," she teased Pete.

"Trust me, she has enough of her father in her too. That's the handful part!" Gina laughed in reply.

"Excuse me," the repairman addressed from the kitchen doorway. "The washer is fixed," he added, holding up the billing slip for payment.

"I'll take care of that," Gina stated, rising from the chair to head into the kitchen.

"So, Pete," Chloe addressed lightly. "I couldn't help but notice the deafening hush when I mentioned Lex's name earlier. I'll take that as a sign that you still have an animosity towards him?"

"No," he answered bluntly, meeting her eyes. "I don't always like how he does business, but I don't have much animosity towards him these days."

"His partnership with Gina changed your opinion of him that much?" Chloe asked, sounding impressed.

"Not exactly," he dragged out, turning his head away before taking a deep steadying breath, then met Chloe's gaze directly. "I work for him, Chloe. He's my boss."

Chloe blinked with obvious surprise, her mind racing to catch up with the news just dumped on her. "When did that happen? I thought you worked for a company in Metropolis as a computer consultant." Her gaze followed Pete as he got to his feet to pace uncomfortably, then shifted to Gina's side as she returned from paying the repairman and showed him out the side door.

"You two need to have this conversation privately," Gina stated. "I have to go grocery shopping anyway, and I'll take Shauna with me. That should give you enough time to talk things through."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Pete stated, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek, giving her a half hug at the same time. Turning around he faced Chloe. "Maybe we should sit in the kitchen for this one, it's going to require a lot of coffee," he tried to joke, then stepped back while Chloe stood up and Gina went to get Shauna.

XxXxX

Lex folded the blueprint of the boiler section of the basement and handed it to the contractor. "You're certain you won't need to knock out this section to accommodate the new boiler?"

"We won't have to touch anything structural," the contractor answered. "The new system isn't just cost efficient, but size efficient too. To be honest with you, Mr. Luthor, I'm surprised that baby hasn't blown up on you by now. It '_has_' to be at least twenty years old."

"That's why I called you as soon as I saw it myself."

"Heh, not like you got any reason to come down here, right?" the man asked, trying to make polite conversation. Lex met the man's gaze with an impenetrable stare. The man nodded after a moment and shifted his gaze to the blueprint in his hands, obviously biting his tongue from making some sort of comment. A sardonic half smile creased the corner of Lex's lips, fading into his impassive expression as the man raised his gaze to look at him.

"If we're finished here, I have other appointments to keep," Lex informed the man.

"Yep, that's it," he stated with enthusiasm. "I'll get the order out today," he added, and turned to walk away, then paused. "I don't suppose it would be a problem to have this order rushed, for an extra fee of course."

"Of course. Is first thing Monday rushed enough for you?" Lex asked stoically.

"Oh I don't know about that," the guy chuckled, his smile fading when he realized Lex wasn't kidding. Clearing his throat he said, "I'll see what I can do."

"You do that."

Lex walked the man to the wine cellar, where he instructed him to see Enrique on his way out. The guy looked at Lex curiously when he obviously wasn't going to follow him up the steps, but kept his mouth shut about it.

"Do you require my accompaniment, sir?" Enrique asked from the top of the stairs as soon as the contractor stepped into the hallway.

"Not just yet, Enrique," Lex answered, checking the flashlight in his hands. "I'd like to check out a few things myself first. I'll let you know if I'll require your assistance."

"Very well, sir," Enrique replied, and closed the door over before escorting the contractor to the main entrance.

XxXxX

The first thing on Lex's mental list was to browse through his ex-wives belongings to make sure Chloe wasn't over reacting about something that had nothing to do with him. Reaching the first area in question, he took a good look at all the items, crates, and boxes piled haphazardly, then unceremoniously began knocking things off the top piles, not caring if anything got broken in the process.

There was a wake of destruction around him by the time he reached the center. He paused to look at a large crate that sat atop a small table. Wiping his forehead with his sleeve, he put the flashlight on a crate nearby, then grabbed the larger crate with both hands. Clenching his teeth, he put all his weight behind his muscles, slowly tipping it over to spill its contents onto the floor.

Halfway over, a leg of the table snapped, sending the crate crashing to the floor. The table splintered while another leg careened in the opposite direction, spearing the heap of junk behind it. Lex ducked, throwing his arms over his head, at the sound of shattering glass as an avalanche fell behind him.

He waited at least a full minute before daring to move, coughing from all the dust that had been disturbed. He couldn't see a damn thing, his flashlight had been buried, but he knew he was almost knee deep in the midst of a mess. Fighting to keep his balance, and not get hurt on anything sharp, he slowly started to move things away from his legs.

Still having the occasional coughing fit, he was finally able to reach the string on the flashlight, and pulled it out from under the rubble. Taking a better look at the damage he'd caused, he shook his head with self-disgust for being so reckless. Pulling his leg from under part of the broken crate, he lost his balance and had to grab onto something to prevent from falling, which only resulted in more things falling forward.

"Christ, how much shit did you own?" he ranted aloud, referring to his ex-wife.

He managed to regain his balance, stepping upon god knows what to get above the mess on the floor. Having had enough of it, he leaned his hand on something that seemed sturdy enough to hold his weight while he shifted towards getting out of there. After a couple of careful steps, he froze. His eyes had briefly followed the beam of light, catching something that didn't seem right.

Stumbling over the mass of junk, he moved in the direction the beam of light was pointed. Tossing a few things aside, he was able to clearly see what had gotten his attention. It was a box with 'Christmas 1992' written on it. Wiping his face once more with his sleeve, he pulled the lid off to find it empty.

Tossing the empty box over his shoulder, he pulled open the one underneath to find the same thing, nothing. Straightening to his full height, he glanced around the area with his brows creased with confusion.

Shaking his head, he shrugged it off for the time being, and got himself out of there before something else fell over, possibly resulting in him getting hurt. Once on solid ground, he brushed himself off, though he wasn't sure why, it was hopeless with all the dust he'd stirred up.

"The Kent's barn was cleaner than this," he muttered to himself, and headed back towards the storage room to get some water for his dry throat.

XxXxX

"I can't believe you didn't tell me that you worked for LexCorp. '_Why_' would you '_not_' tell me something like that?" Chloe asked, hugging her coffee mug with her palms.

"Take a good look around, Chloe, I would've never been able to afford all this on a tech's salary. I was hoping you would've figured it out on your own."

"Okay," she drawled slowly. "But that still doesn't explain why you didn't tell me."

"Let's face it, I'm living better than my parents did, after Lionel screwed my family that is. I wasn't ready to let anyone know that I started working for Luthor junior. But, ya gotta admit, I don't have to worry about providing for my family, my daughter will have a college fund, and the medical benefits are awesome! Not to mention a retirement plan."

"I'm not faulting you for making a good career choice, Pete. I'm happy for you. If anyone deserves to have the good life, it's you," she stressed. "I'm just curious to know what happened for you to turn the other cheek, so to speak, where Lex is concerned."

"The company I was working for wasn't as on the scale as they seemed. I kept running into fire walls where there shouldn't have been any. So I dug deeper, went around the firewalls, and found myself in the LexCorp systems. They were hitting his accounts and secured files through backdoors and small windows."

"Wow," she breathed. "So, despite your aversion to him, you told Lex what you found," she surmised easily.

"Yea, well, it's not like I didn't owe him one," he answered spitefully.

"How the hell did you owe Lex Luthor a favor? You never crossed paths with the man."

"Yea, I did," he answered in a low tone. "When we were in high school, I found myself in some serious trouble, and Lex happened to come along at the right moment. All in all, he saved my ass that day, if not my life."

"Why didn't you come to me, Pete?"

"It wasn't something I was proud of," he stated, meeting her eyes directly. "And Lex wasn't too eager for anyone to know about his involvement either."

"That's really vague, Pete."

"That's all I'm going to tell you," he said briskly, then softened his tone. "The bottom line is that I owed him, so as soon as I found out what was going on I gave him a heads up about it."

"Do you regret telling him?"

"No, that's the bitch of my problem. I don't regret telling him at all. But at the same time I feel guilty, like I sold out my family, my dad and grandpa, by working for a Luthor."

"I can understand that, but as his systems tech you can see for yourself what kind of business he does. Doesn't that help make you feel better at all?"

"Actually, I'm more than just his tech, Chloe. I'm also his 'database researcher'."

"His 'database researcher'?" she repeated, her brows arching high on her forehead. "Are you telling me that you're his personal hacker?" she asked with a slight chuckle of disbelief.

Pete met Chloe's eyes with a dead pan seriousness that she had very rarely seen in her friend. "Like I said, I couldn't afford all of this on a tech's salary, Chloe, not even Lex pays that good."

"Then you're the one who gave him the information about Nancy Garret."

Pete looked at her with realization in his expression. "I had a feeling you were behind that order."

"What made you think I had anything to do with it?" she smiled, trying to play the innocent.

"Because I did an investigation on her five years ago when she first moved in with your dad. I couldn't figure out, at first anyway, why Lex called me the other day and asked me to do another one, in more detail, along with cross references with her marriages."

"Nothing gets past you does it?" Chloe asked with an uncomfortable chuckle.

"Not much ever did, Chloe. I just chose to ignore most of what was going on."

"I guess we're both guilty of doing that," she replied solemnly. "Ignoring things we don't want to deal with," she clarified.

"Well, when it gets too hot, you get out of the kitchen."

"Or Smallville, as our case scenarios went," she said with a weak smile.

"Yea," he agreed quietly, then reached his hand across the table, and took her hand in his. "It's good to have you back, Chloe, I really missed you. Gina missed you too, but... "

"Yea, me too. I'm sorry, Pete."

"Hey, it's ok," he smiled, lightening the mood. "You're here now, that's all that's important."

"Pete!" Gina called from the front door. "Need help with the bags!"

Pete and Chloe squeezed each other's hands, smiling warmly at each other before he stood to help his wife. Chloe had to dab at the corner of her eye to wipe away the wet spot there, then stood to help the Ross's bring in their groceries.

"You sit," Gina commanded, passing Chloe near the kitchen doorway as she carried in a couple bags. "You're a guest, act like one."

"Sorry, no can do. I'm family," Chloe replied, a grin on her face. "So, I'll act like that instead." She turned around and headed for the door to help Pete.

A smile formed on Gina's face. It felt nice to have Chloe back. It felt very nice.


	9. Chapter 9

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 9

Lex completely gave up that his outfit was salvageable, he had found more of those empty boxes with ex-wife number three's belongings, though he wasn't as gung-ho about tearing everything down to find what was hidden underneath. By the time he reached the third section, he had noticed a pattern in how the empty 'Christmas' boxes were hidden, and found more of them with ease.

He was baffled by the markings on the sides, the years didn't match when he was married to each woman, in fact most of the years marked, he hadn't been in a relationship at all. He was certain that something had been in those boxes, but couldn't for the life of him figure out what it could have been. He continued to roam the basement, hoping to find another clue.

After walking down a narrow corridor, he found himself at a dead end. Turning around to head back to the connecting hall, he heard a loud snap sound simultaneous with a sharp, brief squeak, like that of a rodent. Shining the flashlight in that direction his curiosity peaked further. There was a semi closed off area in the corner that he would have missed completely, if it hadn't been for the timely death of vermin. Lex headed that way to check it out.

Reaching the area within a few strides, he scanned the flashlight over the floor until it lit on the rat near the far wall. The trap efficiently had snapped its neck. Disregarding it, he brought the light back toward himself, not finding anything else in the sectioned area. He took a half step sideways to turn around and head back the way he had come, when he noticed an area on the floor that was dirt free.

Stooping to examine it closer, he saw prints in the dust and dirt around the cleaner spot. He shifted his weight carefully to stand inside the mark, then squatted down to his hunches at seeing a handprint clearly etched in the dirt. Touching his fingertips to the imprint, he had no doubt in his mind who it belonged to. '_Chloe_.'

He raised his face to eye level, scanning the room again more thoroughly. No other section had been disturbed. Whatever had been there, Chloe had made sure it wasn't there for him to find. _'But why, Chloe?_' he thought. _'What the hell did you find in my own home that no one wants me to see?_'

He stepped over Chloe's smudged footprints, then took one final look behind himself, shining the light on the spot one last time. His mathematical mind kicked in, noticing the dimensions of the radius, then compared that with the corridor behind him. _'It couldn't have been as big as the clean imprint on the floor_,' he calculated. _'But broken down into smaller pieces, something Chloe would've been able to carry. Like boxes,_' he surmised quickly.

With a purposeful stride he headed back to the other areas with the stored belongings in them, and collected all the empty boxes with the Christmas markings on them. After stacking them in sequential order within the clean mark he noticed there were a few 'years' missing, one being 1993, the year his mother had died.

_'What the hell was in these boxes, Chloe?_' he thought rhetorically. Something nagged at the back of his mind, trying to help him piece this mystery together.

*_stuff nobody wanted_.*

That had been Chloe's answer when he asked her what she had found in the basement. Enrique's answer had been similar. But it made no sense to him. Anything he himself had not wanted, he donated to charity or had simply given away. Nothing of his would've been discarded to sit in a box in a dark corner of the basement.

Lex raised his head from its thoughtful position, his shoulders squared as another realization came to him. He hadn't lived in the mansion until 2001. Which meant that they had been brought from Metropolis... with Enrique. He left the secluded area with the small satisfaction of knowing that he was on the right path to finding what Chloe had found, and ultimately, why no one wanted him to find it.

XxXxX

"This is absolutely fantastic, Gina," Chloe complimented over dinner.

"I'm glad you still eat meat," Gina replied. "A lot of people are going vegetarian these days."

"It'll never happen!" Chloe laughed. "Although the cook at the mansion makes the best clam fettuccini that I have ever had in my life!" she exclaimed. "I want you to come over for dinner before I leave."

Both Gina and Pete paused in mid chews to look at her blatantly.

"You're not staying?" Pete asked with food still in his mouth.

"You could have swallowed first, Hon," Gina reprimanded lightly, subtly gesturing toward Shauna.

"I'm sorry," he said after swallowing, and wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Please excuse me," he added, looking directly at his daughter.

She giggled loudly, her own mouth full of food. "Daddy got in trouble!" she laughed.

"Shauna," Gina warned sternly.

The little girl closed her mouth and swallowed her food with an exaggerated gulp, then reached for her little cup to take a drink.

Chloe watched the exchange with both fascination and dread. It was quite amusing to see the family life that Pete and Gina shared, yet she dreaded having to explain that she had no intention to stay in Smallville.

"Should we assume, then," Gina started saying directly to Chloe. "That you're only staying until the wedding?"

Chloe had a hard time swallowing her last bite. She heard the disappointment in Gina's voice, and could see the same in Pete's gaze.

"I never said I was staying," she replied softly, looking from one to the other for understanding. "I really like it in Gotham," she added. "Plus I have my job there, and despite contrary belief, being a freelance reporter doesn't pay very well living in Smallville."

"But, I thought you and Lex had something going on between you," Pete half asked.

"Where would you get that idea?" Chloe asked defensively, assuming Lex had said something of the sort.

Pete looked over at Gina, who shifted in her chair with an uncomfortable expression as she looked over at Chloe, chuckling lightly. "I thought there was more than what you were telling me between you and Lex," she said. "And I mentioned it to Pete."

"Oh, you mean that opinion of yours that I asked you to keep to yourself?" Chloe asked defensively, then closed her eyes and shook her head as though to clear her mind. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound that aggressive. But, I already told you that there's nothing between us. Just because I'm staying at the mansion doesn't mean there's something going on."

"Well, I'm convinced," Pete said sarcastically. "You convinced, Hon?" he directed to his wife.

"Shauna," Gina addressed. "Would you like to get the cake from the kitchen table?"

Shauna looked at her mommy with big surprised eyes. She was '_never_' allowed to have dessert before her plate was cleaned of food. The child's surprise lasted a whole of two seconds before she leaped from her chair to run into the other room.

"Uht-oh," Pete voiced, realizing he stuck his foot in his mouth again. "Maybe I should help her with that." He was out of his chair and in the kitchen before anyone could stop him.

"Nice to know I can still clear a room," Chloe said with feigned humor, trying to lighten the tension she had caused.

"Chloe," Gina said sympathetically, leaning heavily on her forearms on the table. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to deal with everything before I go home. It seems like every time I turn around I find out something new that no one told me! First my dad's engagement to Nancy, then Lex with his... knowing about it, now I find out that Pete works for Lex. What else is there?" she asked incredulously, tears brimming in her eyes. "It seems as though the one person who knows everything is the one I'm living with, and he won't tell me shit!"

"You can't tell me that your dad's engagement was a surprise to you, Chloe." Gina remarked softly, her tone pleading, trying to understand why Chloe was confused. "After the heart attack, Nancy was with him day and night to help him recover. No one was surprised that..."

"Heart attack?" Chloe interrupted, her breath catching in her throat. "What, heart attack?" she asked, her entire being filling with dread.

"Oh no," Gina whispered, finally understanding why Chloe acted the way she had toward Nancy. "He didn't tell you anything at all." Gina realized that Chloe hadn't known about Gabe's relationship with Nancy, but it never occurred to her that he never told her about his heart attack.

Before Gina could think of what to say, Chloe pushed from the table, her face contorted with hurt emotions. She rushed to the living room, grabbed her purse, and ran from the house.

"Pete!" Gina shouted for her husband, hoping he could stop Chloe before she drive off.

XxXxX

Chloe rushed from the Ross's house, barely able to see through tear blurry eyes. Clicking the remote on the key ring, the car door automatically unlocked, allowing her to get in without having to fumble.

She shoved the key into the ignition, and turned the engine. Throwing the car into reverse, she backed out of the driveway, almost hitting Pete's car parked at the curb, then threw it into drive just as Pete came running out the front door, calling her incessantly. Burning rubber, she was able to get away before he could stop her.

She didn't want to be comforted, she didn't want to be sympathized, she wanted answers! Her only problem was who she should go to get them, Lex or her dad. Reaching the deciding intersection, she paused and wiped at her tears then turned in the direction of her dad's. _'When you want answers, you go to the source_,' she thought to herself.

Chloe reached his front door just as he opened it from the other side. He had obviously been waiting for her. The expression on his face was grim and uncomfortable. _'Pete or Gina must have called him_,' Chloe surmised to herself.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Gabe said with a tight throat, his tone heartfelt.

"Why do I have to find out everything from everyone else?" she pleaded to him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry, honey."

"Oh yea, dad, this is me not worrying!" she cried. "I am so hurt right now, I don't even know what to say."

"Come inside," he cajoled gently. "Let me explain everything from the beginning."

Chloe stepped ahead of her dad, entering the living room to find Nancy sitting in the recliner. The woman put her magazine down, quietly excused herself, then headed upstairs to give Gabe and Chloe their privacy for a well overdue conversation.

Gabe seated himself in the recliner, and gestured for Chloe to take the chair on his right when she started pacing. "Sweetheart, please."

Chloe sat down almost sideways on the edge of the cushion, not being comfortable enough to sit fully in the chair. She had so many things going through her mind she didn't know where to start without sounding like an auctioneer. Luckily Gabe had been more prepared for this moment than he let on and began to speak.

"I had a mild heart attack about five years ago. It happened at the plant and Lex sent me straight to Metropolis General. They kept me for observation for two weeks, even though I told them I was fine." He shrugged slightly at the remembrance of no one listening to him. "I still think that was Lex's doing, even though he denies it. But anyway, the doctors put me on a specific diet, and made me start an exercise program. I didn't realize how out of shape I was until I couldn't run the treadmill for three minutes without losing my breath."

Chloe opened her mouth to intervene, but Gabe cut her off.

"Chloe, please, let me get this off my chest before you bombard me with questions." He ran his hand over his jaw and took a deep breath before continuing. "The first thing they told me I wasn't allowed to have was my beer," he said with disgruntlement. "Then it was mayonnaise, then it was fried foods, the list just kept getting longer and longer. I honestly thought they were trying to starve me to death."

He sat back in the recliner, though his back remained straight. Gabe's way of trying to look comfortable but failing miserably. "I cheated on my diet a lot," he admitted freely. "That's how I met Nancy. She was a nurses assistant at the hospital, and was assigned to _'keep an eye on me'_. She was cruel and calculating and found my little stash of junk food within two minutes of walking into my room!"

He paused to chuckle fondly. "Then one afternoon she came in with a grilled turkey sandwich, with lettuce and tomato, and mayonnaise!" He shook his head slowly, a fond smile on his lips. "I swear that was the moment I fell in love with her." He cleared his throat and returned his attention to the present. "She told me if I stopped raiding the vending machine and behaved myself, that she would make sure I had something worth eating on my plate at least once a week. It sounded like a fair deal to me at the time, so I agreed to it." He shrugged.

He took another deep sigh, holding Chloe's gaze. "I wanted to tell you about Nancy so much, Chloe, I honestly did. We hit it off so well after that. We made each other laugh, and it felt so good to have someone to talk to again." He leaned forward, trying to express himself to his daughter. "She would stay after her shift was over just to sit with me and keep me company. We became very comfortable with each other, and it just felt... it felt really nice." With another sigh he leaned back again, his hands resting on his knees.

"She offered to come back to Smallville with me, and I accepted her offer." Tilting his head slightly to scratch an itch at his temple. "She got a job at Smallville Medical Center, helped me with my new regiment, and went with me for my daily walks." He ran his hand over his head to fix his hair as he continued. "I'm not exactly sure when our feelings deepened for each other, but I asked her to move in with me and last year I proposed to her.

"I didn't know how to explain meeting Nancy without telling you about my heart attack," he added softly, leaning his elbows on his knees with his hands clasped in front of him. "I didn't want you to worry unnecessarily and leave your life in Gotham just for me, and we both know that that's what you would have done." He paused to give Chloe a brief knowing look. "It was easier for me to not tell you, than to be the cause of you giving up a life that you worked hard for, a life that you obviously love."

"I wish you had told me, daddy," Chloe finally responded, wiping fresh tears from her cheeks. "I would've come out here and seen for myself that you were ok, that you had someone helping you and I would've been able to go back to Gotham with no problem," she smiled at him weakly.

"You wouldn't have been that compliant and you know it, pumpkin," he said with understanding. "You would've had all your stuff back in your room before I had a chance to explain anything, and you would've investigated Nancy with some suspicion that she put a whammy on me or something the minute after you met her." He leaned forward in his chair and placed his hand on top of hers. "I'm sorry, I truly am, that I was such a coward, but I know you, sweetheart, I was only trying to protect you from doing something rash."

"Well, you're five days too late for that, daddy," she admitted, regaining some semblance of control over her hurt feelings. She understood now that her dad was just being protective, that he knew her better than she gave him credit for, and with apparent due reason because she '_would_' have moved in before he explained everything, and as for Nancy, well, she didn't want to get into that with him at all. At least now she understood his reasoning, and she could deal with that.

"I suspected as much when I heard you were staying at the mansion," he voiced softly, fully leaning back in the recliner with a deep sigh. "Just tell me that you didn't sell your 'I' teeth to Lex in some kind of deal."

"Oddly enough, Lex has been fairly helpful without much reciprocation from me at all," she smiled at him, hoping he couldn't see through the lie.

He regarded her for a long moment, a sadness entering his eyes. "Honey, I know you and Lex always had deals with each other, the two of you would swap them back and forth like candy. And I know you were the one who provided him with the integral information that ultimately knocked Lionel down to his knees."

"That was a long time ago, daddy," she replied somberly. "I don't live like that anymore."

"You might not live like that anymore, but it's still in you. You still have a knack for getting to the bottom of things, you just don't go chasing after it like you used to, and you can't convince me any differently. I read your articles, yea, yea, yea...," he waved his hand when she motioned to talk. "I know, you write anonymously under someone else's pseudonym, but I can recognize your work without reading the name under it. You forget, I have a copy of everything you've ever printed!" he announced with pride.

"My point is," he continued with earnest, reaching out to take her hand in his. "I hope you didn't agree to something with Lex just because of me. Not that I don't trust Lex with my only daughter," he added lightly. "After all, he was the only person you trusted to tell you were leaving Smallville before graduation, after you made '_me_' swear not to tell..."

"How did you know that I told him I was leaving?" Chloe interrupted, perplexed by this new information. She doubted very much that Lex would've told her dad, his foreman, the circumstances of that night.

"He came by the house the next morning," Gabe replied readily. "It was a shame, really, he only missed you by about ten minutes." Gabe creased his brows thoughtfully for a moment. "He actually seemed disappointed that you were already gone."

"You never told me he stopped by after I left," she stated.

"Didn't I? I could have sworn I mentioned it." His perplexed expression was thoughtful for a few seconds. "Oh, well," he disregarded. "It was a long time ago, it doesn't matter now. What matters now is that we're okay." He looked at his daughter with apprehension. "Are we okay, Chloe?"

"Oh, daddy," she sighed, getting to her feet. "Of course we're okay."

Gabe stood and met her open arms, both of them hugging each other tightly. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you too, pumpkin." After a couple of minutes of silence, they both stepped back from each other, Gabe holding Chloe with his hands on her shoulders. "Would it be too much to ask right now for you to meet my fiancé? She's a very understanding woman, sweetheart, and she feels awful how things went when you met the other day. That's all my fault too, you know? I told her I was going to talk to you before you got here, and, well..." He shrugged, regret written all over his face.

Chloe took a deep breath, lightly bit at her lower lip, then met her dad's eyes with renewed confidence. "So I can blame all my irrational behavior on you, then," she stated, a mischievous smirk broadly showing on her face.

He chuckled good humouredly, placing his arm around her shoulders. "Just this once, the blame is all mine." He paused and turned to meet her gaze with serious eyes. "How far did you go with investigating her anyway?"

"Not that far, daddy," she lied sweetly, shrugging her shoulders. "Just skimmed the surface of her public records."

Her dad regarded her knowingly. "Then, between you and me, I can ask you about what to get her for gift occasions, right?"

Chloe stared at him thoughtfully, wondering how he knew she had lied, then smiled. "On one condition," she stated firmly, pointing her finger at him. "I never, 'never', want to know about your personal relationship, do you understand? Perfume and soap is one thing, I will not help you pick out something skimpy for her to wear in bed!"

Gabe turned three shades red, and chuckled uncomfortably. "I don't think I '_could_' talk to you about that, Chloe," he replied with embarrassment. "Let's go in the kitchen and you can make some coffee while I get Nancy." He ushered her to the other room and helped her find everything, then turned to leave. Pausing at the doorway, he turned back to face his daughter. "I don't need to buy her things like that, do I?"

"We are '_not_' having that conversation, dad," Chloe stated firmly, with a light tone.

"No, of course not."

XxXxX

(fifth night)

"You couldn't sleep either," Lex stated as he entered the den.

"No," Chloe replied, making room for him on the sofa. He sat down far enough that they each had their own space but not by too much.

"I hope you understand why I didn't tell you about your dad." Lex had received a call from Pete, telling him how upset Chloe was in case she came back to the mansion. Luckily she had went to her father's first, which was not only the right decision, but also a relief to Lex.

She nodded, keeping her gaze towards the TV. "It wasn't up to you to tell me. My dad had to. But in your own perverse way, you tried to convince me there was nothing wrong with Nancy. It never occurred to me that there could've been something wrong with my dad."

"And you're okay with that?"

"No, but I'm getting there," she replied, turning to give him a weak smile. "I even had a nice conversation with Nancy after my dad and I aired everything out, and I find myself having to admit that she's okay."

"Just okay?" Lex prompted with a smirk.

"Hey, don't push it."

Lex reached out his hand to caress her cheek with his thumb. "He's going to be fine, Chloe. He's eating better, and exercising. He's gotten himself in better shape," he added convincingly. "The doctors are very pleased with his recovery."

"You spy on my dad?"

"He IS my senior plant manager. It's in my best interest to make sure he can still handle the job."

She shifted closer to him to rest her head at his shoulder. "At least one of us was able to keep an eye on him, whatever the reason." She was quiet for a couple minutes, the movie playing on with neither of them paying much attention to it. "Thank you, Lex," she stated quietly.

"You don't have to thank me, Chloe."

"Yes, I do," she whispered with sincerity. "I owe you for preventing me from making matters worse. I still can't believe you physically dragged me out of the general store." Tilting her face up to look at him. "But, thanks."

"For that, you're welcome."

She sighed tiredly, and settled herself against him to continue watching the movie. She pressed herself comfortably against his side, her head rested at his upper arm off his shoulder while her hand covered his wrist on his thigh.

Lex wanted to shift his position and put his arm around her to hold her closer. He wanted to ask her if she was comfortable, but he knew from past experience that asking such a question led women to believe they had invaded his space, and they always pulled away from him. So, he remained quiet and unmoving, letting her lean on him all she wanted.

The end credits of the movie began scrolling up the screen and Chloe still hadn't moved. Lex risked a glance at her face to find her sound asleep. Unfortunately, his leaning forward, even though it was slight, was enough motion for her upper body to slide with her dead weight into his lap.

Easing himself into a slouched position, he gently repositioned her. Without any verbal complaint, she twisted herself sideways, stretched out her legs over the rest of the couch, and used his thigh to pillow her face. Clicking off the TV with the remote, Lex rested his head back and closed his eyes.

XxXx

(Day five)

She rolled over and felt something hard under her cheek just as the music for Looney tunes broke through her semi-consciousness. Forcing herself to wake up, she blinkingly stared at the TV screen as Bugs Bunny came dancing into view.

"Bugs," she croaked groggily with fondness, as though greeting an old friend, and sat up with a warm smile to watch the show. _'It's been ages since I've watched Bugs Bunny._' Within moments the shenanigans of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Elmer Fudd had her laughing like she hadn't laughed in a long time.

Lex had woken up and eased himself from under her to freshen up and get some coffee for Chloe. By the time he reached the pantry, however, Enrique had a fresh pot already brewing. He was about to confront his employee about the empty boxes he had found in the basement, when he heard Chloe laughing heartily from the den.

He was mesmerized by the sound, by the timbre of her voice. He had never heard her laugh like that.

"I've always had a fondness for Wile E. Coyote, myself," Lex stated, letting her know he was in the room.

"Really?" she beamed with intrigue, turning her head up to look at him upside down.

He leaned on the back of the couch on his forearms, his face mere inches from hers. "Really," he replied, returning her smile before shifting his gaze towards the TV. "I always viewed myself as the coyote, where my father was the road runner," he started to explain in an easy tone. "No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, or how much I planned, something always went wrong, and my father was always one step ahead."

"I wish I could have helped you more," she whispered.

"Chloe, you've helped me more than anyone I've ever had in my life," he whispered in return, gazing down at her. He slowly dipped his head to gently touch her lips with his.

Her eyes slid shut as his lips touched hers. Her stomach tightened with the feel of butterflies, and her breath caught in her throat with anticipation.

Enrique entered the room with a tray of coffee, then turned around in one flowing motion to leave unnoticed so as not to disturb them.

"Your java is being served," Lex whispered against her lips, catching the sound of his butler's shoes on the hardwood floor as he entered the room.

Enrique, chagrinned at breaking the moment between the two, turned around once more to continue serving them their coffee. Chloe cleared her throat, and shifted her position to sit up more on the sofa. "Are you going to join me, or have you outgrown the joys of Bugs and Daffy?"

"I wasn't aware that it was possible to outgrow Looney Tunes," he replied lightly, joining her on the leather cushions. "I was under the assumption that you simply carried them into old age with you."

"I can second that assumption," she grinned at him, then turned to accept her mug from Enrique, who had given her a subtle regretful look at his poor timing. She smiled at him to let him know that it was okay, then sipped at her coffee, wondering how far that moment would've went if the servant hadn't come in when he had.

The two of them silently sipped at their coffees, watching the cartoon. It being the one where Bugs Bunny ran for president.

"What happened to the political career?" Chloe asked.

"I found myself losing my grasp of reality. I was becoming too powerful and I didn't like how I was running my life, the things I was doing to not only maintain that power but to grow stronger."

"I can't believe I just heard you say that. You didn't happen to get that on tape, did you? I mean the room is bugged, right?"

"The only bugs in this mansion is him," he replied, shifting his gaze briefly to the TV, then back to Chloe.

"Very smooth, Luthor," she smiled at him. His response was a quirked brow. "Speaking of which, did you get rat control out here to set traps in the basement?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Yesterday morning."

"Well that's good to know."

"Were you planning another self tour?"

"Nope, I saw enough of that basement to last me a lifetime."

"I find it hard to believe that you didn't find anything of interest down there."

"Just a bunch of old junk, Lex," she shrugged. "Stuff nobody wanted."

"Funny, Enrique gave me almost the exact same answer when I asked him what was kept down there in the first place."

"I didn't find anything worth telling you about, Lex." She stated slightly defensively, then got to her feet, placing her cup on an end table. "I'd like to get showered and changed before breakfast."

"Chloe, I wasn't implying anything. Surely you can wait a few minutes and finish watching some TV?"

She turned to look at him, knowing full well that he had been implying something, but had a feeling that if she left the room at that moment, that it would only add to his suspicions that she was hiding something from him. With a resigned sigh, she went back to the sofa and reseated herself next to him.

He watched as she sat back down next to him, sensing that she was forcing herself to seem nonchalant. He had heard that lilt to her voice again about not finding anything in his basement, yet it wasn't there when she said she hadn't found anything worth telling him about. None the less, it remained a challenge to discover what was being hidden from him.

Somehow, though sitting near each other was enjoyable, the light-heartedness had been dampened while they continued to watch TV in silence.


	10. Chapter 10

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 10

(day five-continued)

After they both had showered and changed for the day, breakfast had been comfortable enough, but, Lex realized his persistence about the basement findings was becoming too much of a priority in his mind, and it was putting a strain between himself and Chloe, even though she pretended otherwise.

Lex made a mental note to take it slower to get his answers, from both Chloe and Enrique. It intrigued, and at the same time, irked Lex how his butler managed to give him an absolutely meaningless reply while answering his question at the same time. Something he was sure the man had picked up being in 'Luthor' employment for so long.

But Chloe was his first concern at the moment. Deciding that he needed to relieve her wariness toward him, he challenged her to another round of pool. She had accepted with a gleam in her eyes and a confident grin. To appease the blonde further, he had allowed her to win the first game, not making it obvious of course, but it put her more at ease and the slight tension had lifted from between them.

"I have a request for this evening," he stated halfway through the next game.

"Let me guess, you want me to wear something fancy so you can drag me to some ballroom banquet?" she asked with light sarcasm, pausing only briefly to look over at him before making her shot.

He smirked warmly when she glanced up at him. "Am I that transparent?"

"Considering our circumstances right now, I'd say yes." She took her shot and missed.

"You did promise to go wherever I asked after I provided you with information about Nancy, and I've done that," he reminded her, feeling that she was going to give him a hard time about it.

"I know I did," she stated amicably, meeting his gaze. "But that doesn't mean that I have to like it, those dinners are boring as hell." She picked up the chalk cube and chalked the tip of the cue. "Do you mind if I wear the same dress I wore the last time we almost went to Metropolis?"

"Not at all," he replied easily, relieved that she wasn't arguing with him about going. He took his shot successfully, and rounded the table for another. "I'll even give you another alternative," he added, sinking another shot. "I'll absolve you from accompanying me, if you win this round."

"We're already in the middle of the game, and you're two shots ahead."

"If you're not up to the challenge," he shrugged. "I understand. I was just trying to be appeasing."

"Not up to a challenge? Me? Not up to a challenge?" she repeated laughingly. "You're going to eat those words, Luthor," she stated with conviction. "And when you're sitting at that Banquet tonight all by yourself, you just remember it was '_your_' idea!"

Lex smirked as he took his next shot, and sunk it with ease.

XxXxX

(meanwhile-somewhere else in the castle)

A cleaning maid was doing her daily rounds on the third level, dusting and polishing the bedrooms. She had only been working for Mr. Luthor a few months and had been relieved as hell when she was told that not '_all_' the rooms were her responsibility. Her assigned section included the bedrooms on the far East side of the second and third levels, mostly unused guest rooms along with the library.

She reached up to open the curtains to let the sunlight fill the room, when the sleeve of her uniform caught on her earring as she pushed the drapes open wide, pulling the clip from her lobe to land on the floor.

"Oh dammit," she muttered, turning to follow the piece of jewelry with her eyes as it bounced on the hardwood floor, then roll under the closet door.

She grabbed the door handle of the closet with a resigned sigh. They weren't supposed to wear any jewelry while at work, but she had forgotten to remove her earrings and put them in her purse. Turning the doorknob, she found it to be locked. She looked around in a panic, thinking she would lose her job for sure for this.

Getting down on her hands and knees, she squeezed her fingers under the door, feeling around for her earring.

"What are you doing?" a feminine voice asked from behind her.

The girl jumped to her feet with startled surprise, and turned to face the maid who was her supervisor. "I dropped one of my earrings," she said regretfully. "I'm really sorry," she added in a rush. "I usually take them off when I get here, but I forgot this morning."

"And it went in the closet?" the older woman asked with cynicism.

"Yes. But it's locked, so I was trying to feel for it with my fingers. That's when you came in."

"It's not locked, dear," the woman stated with patience, walking over to the closet. "It's probably just stuck. These doors do that a lot in this mansion." She placed her hand on the doorknob and gave it a turn. "Hrm, it is locked," she voiced when the knob didn't budge under her palm. "These doors aren't supposed to be locked," she added with confusion.

"Can I get a broom stick or something to get my earring? I promise this won't happen again."

"No, I'll go get a key. In the meantime, finish your rounds and I'll bring the earring to you after I get the closet opened."

"Thank you!" the girl said with enthusiasm at not being fired, and went to do her chores in the next room.

The older servant stepped into the hall and saw William coming from the stairs. She addressed him politely as she met him halfway. "William, do you by any chance have the keys for these rooms?"

"What do you need a key for, Teresa?" Giving her his attention as she turned to walk by his side the way she had just come from.

"The new girl lost an earring under a closet door, and it's locked."

"Locked? Those doors aren't supposed to be locked. Are you certain it's not just stuck?"

"I'm certain," she affirmed.

"Hmm. Which room?"

"This one right here, thirty-seven."

William stepped into the room taking a small ring of keys from his pocket. "You're lucky I happened to have these," glancing at the maid briefly. "It seems Enrique has been extra attentive at serving the lord and lady of the manor," he snickered at his own humor.

Teresa raised an eyebrow in response, but otherwise kept quiet. Not only did she not think his humor funny, but the accent he tried to say it with was deplorable. William cleared his throat at his joke failing miserably and turned to unlock the door.

"It was my understanding that the cleaning maids were required to remove their jewelry while in the mansion," he stated waywardly, turning to the woman once more. "Or has there been a change to that regulation that I was not informed of?"

"Your assumption is correct," Teresa answered. "And the girl has adhered to that rule until this morning. She has fully apologized for this inconvenience, and I trust her word that it will not happen again."

William nodded in accordance and turned his attention back to the door. Unlocking it, he turned the knob and opened it. "What are these?"

Teresa stepped closer to the closet to see what he was referring to and saw the neatly stacked boxes marked as Christmas items. "I don't know. All holiday ornaments are stored in the attic, or so I thought. They weren't here last week, I know that much, I had cleaned this room myself."

William's brow creased thoughtfully while the maid looked at him expectantly. "Teresa, lets keep this to ourselves for now. I will talk to Enrique myself concerning these."

"Okay," she responded easily, and bent down to pick up the silver earring on the floor in front of the boxes. "I'll return to my duties now. Thank you for your help." She pocketed the adornment and left the room.

William stared at the boxes in the closet for a couple of minutes before closing and relocking the door. His first intention to address this with Enrique had been replaced with the idea to simply approach Mr. Luthor directly. After the fiasco of Miss Sullivan missing the other day, he had been trying to get back in Enrique's good graces. This seemed to be the perfect opportunity to prove to the head of staff that he was competent enough to handle miscellaneous things without consorting with him first.

XxXxX

Lex was in the middle of getting dressed for the banquet when a soft knock sounded at his bedroom door. He opened it to find Chloe still in her bathrobe, her hair wrapped in a towel, and feet bare.

"Where's the girl who cleans my room?" Chloe asked in a sweet tone.

"She's gone for the day. Is something wrong?" he asked, his mind instantly listing at least ten things the maid could have done wrong.

"Not really. I just can't get my hair to do what I want it to, and I thought that the girl who cleans my room might be able to help me with it."

Lex subconsciously held his breath and stared at her, not sure of what to say. Chloe had, once again, beaten him at their billiards game when he had unfortunately sunk the cue ball instead of the eight, making her the winner by default.

But she had been gracious about it, and had agreed to go with him to Metropolis anyway, telling him that as boring as it may be, it would be more so staying in the mansion without him. He hadn't even thought to argue her point. But this turn of events could change her mind.

Although Chloe wasn't one to fuss over her appearance as much as other women he's known, she prided herself with her appearance, and a woman's hairstyle was a known vanity that would not be ignored, not even by Chloe.

"I've seen you fix your hair beautifully, Chloe," he said, making sure there was bewilderment in his tone while trying to work this in his favor. "I thought it looked very nice the other night."

"And you think I did that by myself?" she laughed. "Do you have any idea what is involved to get my hair to look like that?"

_'Apparently not_,' he thought, waiting for her to announce that she wasn't going to go with him after all.

She stared up at him waiting for him to give some semblance of an answer. "Of course you don't," she stated, her face suddenly full of amusement. "Sometimes it must be nice to be follically challenged, right Lex?"

Cocking his head to the side, one fine eyebrow arched, a sharp smirk appeared on his lips. His expression practically screamed; 'Is that the best you got?'

Chloe laughed harder, turning towards her room. "Don't worry," she tossed over her shoulder. "I'll think of something to do with it. Just don't laugh if I come back out with pig-tails!"

He peeked his head into the hall and watched her walk down the corridor with an amused smirk. She apparently knew he had been watching her and gave him a mischievous grin as she ducked back inside her bedroom.

XxXxX

Lex checked his watch for the umpteenth time. It was already three twenty, they should have been on the road by now. _'If she's not down here in five minutes_,' he thought of Chloe. _'We're taking the chopper_.'

He went to the bar and poured a drink, just to keep himself from pacing. He abhorred being late, unless it was his desire to do so. Catching himself starting to check his watch once more, he switched the glass to his left hand, therefore refraining himself from being able to repeatedly check the time.

Hearing footsteps in the hall, he immediately assumed his calm, impassive expression and turned towards the door. He knew it wasn't Chloe, but hoped it was someone to inform him of her status in getting ready. It was William.

"Mr. Luthor," he address respectively after entering the room. "I wondered if I may speak with you for a moment."

"Is this in regards to Miss Sullivan's progress upstairs?"

"No, sir, it is not."

"Then I'd prefer, if it's not a pressing matter, that we schedule a time to talk tomorrow morning."

"In the morning would be fine, sir."

Lex nodded and William left the room as feminine heels could be heard coming down the stairs. '_Finally_.' Lex thought. He placed the untouched drink on the bar, checked his watch unseeingly, and met Chloe in the hall.

XxXxX

They had arrived in Metropolis not only on time but with almost an hour to spare, not surprising considering Lex had ordered the chauffeur to break the sound barrier once they reached the open highway. He had led Chloe into the banquet hall with his hand gently at the small of her back, assisting with the removal of her shawl before pulling the chair out for her to be seated.

Chloe glanced up at him as he helped to push her chair to the table. He looked absolutely debonair in his tux, and she loved the way his eyes sparkled when the chandelier lighting caught them just right. He smiled down at her just before taking his seat next to her. She felt a warmth in her cheeks and lowered her face from his watchful eye. He smiled so rarely that it was breath catching when he actually allowed himself the expression.

"Will you be alright for a few minutes?" he asked her, giving her his full attention.

"Uhm, yea. I'm good." Momentarily perplexed at him excusing himself when they had literally just sat down.

"Thank you, I'll be right back." He rose from his chair, bestowed a light kiss to her cheek as he did, then went around the table to meet with a gentleman who had just arrived.

Watching him walk across the hall, Chloe could see the transformation in his body language as he approached the other man. His shoulders squared, his head was raised high, his back straight. By the time he reached the other table the man was met by the formidable Lex Luthor, billionaire tycoon and man without humor nor recourse.

But, Chloe knew differently. She knew how caring he could be, how gentle his touch was, how soft his voice sounded while wrapped within his warm protective arms. With a mental shake of her head she took a deep cleansing breath and reached for her glass of water from the table. Despite a few issues that needed to be dealt with she found herself being drawn to Lex more and more as the days wore on. The scary part though, in Chloe's perspective, was how he was opening himself towards her. He was making it far too easy for her to want to be near him, to want to touch him, and more specifically- to want to get closer to him.

She slightly shook her head again, her musings blocking out all else around her at the moment. She couldn't give in to these feelings and she knew it. He wanted something from her and was slowly breaking down her defenses to get it. Though, what it was that he wanted, Chloe hadn't a clue.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, returning to her side at the table.

"Yea," she responded automatically, snapping out of her reverie at the sound of his voice and his warm hand on her bare shoulder. Turning her face to look at him as he reseated himself. "I'm exactly as you left me!" she beamed with a bright smile, completely pushing her previous thoughts from her mind.

He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, a half smile at the corner of his lips in response to her smile. He had seen her slightly shaking her head as he had returned to their table. Her expression had been that of deep contemplation.

"Chloe," he addressed, turning slightly in his chair towards her, his arm resting behind her shoulders. "If you feel uncomfortable we don't have to stay for the entire dinner. I merely need to meet with one more person, then we can leave."

"Why would you think I'm uncomfortable?" she asked curiously. "I am more than capable of mingling among the elite."

A smirk showed on his features. "Of course you are." He resettled himself in his chair and covered his lap with a napkin wondering what had occupied her mind so intently.

XxXxX

After the head chairman had given his speech and welcomed the benefactors, the dinner had progressed nicely. Chloe and Lex shared idle conversation that, for once, hadn't led into a verbal judo match, and Chloe found herself actually enjoying the evening.

The associate Lex needed to meet with had approached their table just as they had finished their meal. Chloe politely excused herself so the men could talk business, and headed towards the ladies room, certain that her hair and makeup needed a touch up anyway.

After taking care of her personal needs and washing her hands at the sink, she stood at the counter with its bright overhead lights and full sized mirrors, and took a critical look at herself. Surmising that everything was holding up just fine, she gave herself a pleased smile.

"I see the illustrious Mr. Luthor has finally started dating blondes," a woman at the sink next to Chloe stated aloud, taking her lipstick from her purse.

"Excuse me?" Chloe replied, turning her attention to the brunette.

"You're here with Lex Luthor," the woman stated with certainty, glancing at Chloe via the mirror in front of them, giving her full lips a healthy touch of color.

Chloe smiled with an understanding sigh. "I'm here with Lex, yes, but I am not dating him."

"Pity." Smacking her lips to even out the tone. "You're an exact match to the woman he dreams of."

Chloe huffed lightly. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I know for a fact that Lex prefers brunettes."

The woman turned her head to look at Chloe directly. Her tone remained light as she spoke. "I didn't mean '_all_' blondes, Hon, just one in particular."

Chloe's eyebrows shot up with curiosity. "Really? And how exactly do you know what particular type of woman Lex Luthor dreams of?"

"I was married to him for a full year," she continued at Chloe's obvious surprise. "Don't worry," she reassured with a smile, replacing her lipstick in her purse. "I'm not trying to start trouble. I just happened to see you sitting with him and thought I'd give you some friendly advice."

"And what advice would that be?" Chloe asked, keeping her tone neutral. She wasn't sure what the woman was up to, but her tone was friendly enough, and Chloe actually believed she had good intentions by speaking to her at all.

"That there's only one woman Lex Luthor really wants, obsesses over in fact, so if he proposes to you it's for the wrong reasons." She had taken out a hairbrush from her purse and began to run it through her long wavy tresses.

"Is that why he married you, for all the wrong reasons?" Chloe asked, a suspicion of dread seeping into her heart, but she didn't want to believe that she, Chloe Sullivan, was the blonde this woman was referring to.

"Oh god no. We actually got along fairly well, at first anyway. After a few months I couldn't take it anymore. He really has a gentle side, you know? But hearing him call out another woman's name in the middle of the night, there's only so much I could take, no matter how much I cared for him."

"Then I take it that none of your belongings were tossed into the Luthor Estate's basement?"

"You mean the mansion in Smallville?" she asked rhetorically, putting her brush away and glanced at Chloe. "No, I didn't live there with him. He's always been fond of that hell hole," the woman said, then creased her brow thoughtfully. "I have no idea why he loves that place so much." She zipped her purse closed and turned to Chloe once more. "Anyway, I just thought I would pass along some advice from someone who has been there. He could promise you the world, give it to you as a matter of fact," she chuckled light heartedly. "But there's only one woman who has his heart and nothing you do can change that." She looked at Chloe with sympathetic eyes. "I know, because I tried."

"Is there anything else about this woman you can tell me? I mean, the world is full of blondes," she chortled uncomfortably. "Do you know her name?"

The woman shouldered her purse and stepped towards the door, pausing with her hand on the handle. "Yea, '_that_' I know all too well. It's Chloe."

The woman had said something else before leaving the restroom, but Chloe didn't hear what it was. Her mind started reeling from what the woman had just told her, what she suspected but hoped wasn't true. She found herself leaning heavily on the counter by the sink, the blood loudly thumping in her head, struggling to catch her breath.

She suddenly felt sick to her stomach, her mind racing with all the hints and clues she had been picking up from him since her return to Smallville. How could she have been so stupid to ignore that he had had her followed all these years. How he constantly worked at drawing her closer to him. How he had forgone business deals on her behalf. That alone should have had her packing, he had allowed himself to lose money just to get in her good graces.

She turned on the faucet and splashed her face with cold water, then leaned over the sink as the droplets fell from her nose and chin. She had known he wanted something from her, had known it from the first night, but it never occurred to her that what he wanted was '_her_' personally.

She raised her head to look at herself in the mirror, a shaky breath escaped from her parted lips. Her bottom lip trembled, her eyes were wide with shock. She closed them, not wanting to see her own reflection at the moment, and chided herself over and over again for not seeing this.

The sob came from deep within her throat as her elbows folded, bringing her face closer to the sink. Her breaths were choppy and uneven and her tears fell unnoticed to blend with the droplets of water. _'The bastard_,' she seethed mentally. _'And it almost worked, too_.'

The door to the restroom opened and the sound of heels on the tile floor echoed as someone entered. Chloe splashed her face again and quickly pulled herself together, reaching for a paper towel with a composed expression.

"You had the veal, didn't you?" the woman asked, pausing at a stall door.

"What?" Chloe asked, looking at the lady.

The woman smiled knowingly. "If there's one thing I've learned by attending these functions, it's that you never have the veal. It will disagree with you no matter how well it's prepared."

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and smiled weakly. "That must be it then, thank you."

"Just have a glass of chardonnay and some dessert, that always worked for me. But, stay away from the chocolate mousse, that's just simply troublesome in more ways than one."

"You sound like a pro in the matter," Chloe complimented, dabbing at her face with the towel.

"When you've been a senator's wife for as long as I have, you learn all the tricks," the woman chuckled. "Now if you'll excuse me," she added with a smile and stepped into the stall, closing the door behind herself.

"Sure," Chloe responded in monotone. "Thank you for the advice."

"You're welcome," she sing sang from behind the locked door.

Chloe turned back towards the mirror and sighed deeply. She glanced down at the damp towel in her hands still feeling numb and having no idea how to handle Lex once she returned to the table.

"You wouldn't happen to have any advice concerning a man's obsession, would you?" Chloe wasn't sure why she had asked that aloud and quickly glanced at herself in the mirror for letting the words out of her mouth without the final approval from her brain.

At first the only response from the senator's wife was an amused chuckling sound. "That, my dear, is a very touchy thing. Every man has his obsessions."

"I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to say that out loud."

The lock on the stall door clicked after the flush of the toilet and the woman emerged into view. "So it wasn't the veal after all," she stated knowingly, walking to the sink to wash her hands.

"No, it wasn't the veal," Chloe admitted softly.

"By the look of you I'd say it's another woman," she stated, rinsing the soap from her skin. "There's no easy way to handle that, I'm not going to lie to you, but if you have a good relationship with him on a solid foundation, then the best thing to do is to just let him have his obsession." She shook her hands over the sink and reached for a towel. "As long as he thinks he's getting over on you, he'll eventually tire of her."

"What if I'm the obsession?" Chloe inwardly cringed. Since when did her mouth get a mind of its own?!

"You really are in a quandary, aren't you?" the woman asked, tossed the towel on the counter, then turned her full attention to Chloe. "Well, you're not one of my husband's flings," she voiced, crossing her arms over her chest, then chuckled lightly at Chloe's surprise. "Yes, I am well versed in this matter. Unfortunately my husband's obsession is with women who have had more plastic surgery done to their bodies than you could shake a stick at. But, that's not your problem."

The woman shifted her position to lean back against the counter, her hands easily resting on the edge, her eyes noticing how Chloe wrung the towelette in her hands. "I recall seeing you sitting next to a particular bachelor during dinner," she continued without prompting.

Chloe's eyes shot up to meet the other woman's. "This just became extremely uncomfortable." She shook her head and backed away a step. "I hadn't meant to address this with you. I just... it's just that..."

"Someone was '_nice_' enough to dump exclusive news into your lap?" the woman asked suggestively.

"Why do I get the feeling that you know who I am?" she asked, feeling completely uncomfortable with how this was turning out, and berated herself for not keeping her mouth shut in the first place.

"Your name eludes me at the moment, but I recognize your face," the woman stated matter of factly. "My husband was a senator in Gotham for two elections, all that is missing from your accessories is your press badge."

"My name is Chloe Sullivan, and I assure you that I am here for personal reasons tonight."

"I know that you are," she stated in a soft tone. "Your eyes didn't light up at the biggest scoop of my husbands career a few minutes ago." She leaned forward and took the towelette from Chloe's hands.

"The political scene isn't exactly my forte, Mrs. Lyndly," Chloe chuckled.

"No, it's not, or you would've recognized me much sooner. I realize that I caught you at a vulnerable moment, and for that I'm almost sorry. But in a way you're lucky that it was I who walked in and not someone who could rake you over the coals, dragging Lex across the front page as well." She pushed away from the counter and tossed the towelette in the trash, Chloe following her movements with her eyes. "I honestly don't know what to tell you, Chloe. My husband and I had associated with Lex during his brief political involvement. He is very powerful, very influential, and very used to getting what he wants. The best advice I could give you is to play his game by his rules, and if you're the woman I think you are, then you already have a good idea of how to do just that."

Chloe lifted her chin, her eyes setting with determination at the challenge. When it was put that way, Chloe had no problem with how to handle this situation. If only her feelings for him would stay out of the way, then everything could work out just fine.

"I'm more than capable of playing by his rules," Chloe admitted, her tone sounding stronger, more confident. "But why are you doing this? Why would you care one way or another?"

"Let's just say that it wasn't a coincidence that I came in here after the ex Mrs. Luthor," she sounded smugly. "It's also no coincidence that no one has entered this room in the meantime." The woman smiled in a kind manner and stepped closer to Chloe. Reaching out, she fixed the chain of Chloe's necklace, placing the clasp at her nape. "You may not realize this, dear, but that little show of affection that he bestowed upon you at the table was as subtle as a fireworks display coming from that man. Added to the condition you were in when I entered, I'd say the two of you have something very special between you."

Chloe's brow creased slightly, having to think of what show of affection she was referring to. Concluding the woman meant the peck on the cheek Lex had given her when they had first arrived she met her eyes directly. "Mrs. Lyndly, I'm not sure what you thought you saw, but believe me, there isn't anything remotely special between us."

"No?" she asked rhetorically, her brows darting high on her forehead. "Then I'd say you really are in a quandary, Miss Sullivan." The older lady stepped back and turned on her heel towards the door. Once there, she turned back to Chloe for one final word. "If you decide to play his game, dear, just remember to get something out of it for yourself. I wish you luck, Chloe."

"Thank you," Chloe voiced softly, not certain of what else to say.

As the senator's wife left the restroom Chloe caught the broad shoulders of her body guard just outside the door before it swung closed. She took a deep steadying breath, squared her shoulders, and followed the older woman's lead to rejoin Lex at their table. Whatever she came up with as a way to handle this situation with Lex, it could wait until after they returned to the mansion, away from prying eyes, and hidden press badges.


	11. Chapter 11

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 11

(Sixth night)

Lex opened the front door of the mansion and allowed Chloe to enter first. He closed the door and locked it as Chloe leaned on the nearest table to bend over and remove her shoes, mumbling under her breath about finding the nearest trash can.

"You could have removed them in the limo," he stated casually.

"I could have," she replied agreeably. "But then I wouldn't have gotten them back on." She turned to face him with her shoes in her hand. "And in case you haven't noticed, your driveway is nothing but gravel, so walking bare foot from the car to the door would've been nearly impossible, if not extremely painful."

"I don't know," he smirked, stepping closer to her. "I've proved to be creative in certain situations. I'm sure I would've thought of some way to get you to the door unharmed."

"With the way I'm feeling right now, I would've had you carry me all the way to my room on the third level," she stated in a tired voice.

After she had returned to the table at the banquet, Chloe had told Lex that something she ate had not agreed with her, that if he was finished meeting with his associates, she would like to leave. He had stood immediately and helped her with her shawl, then escorted her to the waiting limo without further question.

Keeping up the pretense of not feeling well during the long drive back had been easier than she had counted on, especially when she had fallen asleep for most of the ride. They were just outside of Smallville by the time she woke up, and she was able to assure Lex that she was feeling better, but simply wanted to go to bed when they got to the mansion.

"You think I'm incapable of doing just that?" he asked, his tone holding a hint of challenge.

Chloe chuckled gracefully and stepped over to the stairs. "I'm sure you could manage it somehow, but honestly, my stomach is still a little queasy, I'm not sure if '_I_' could manage it." She looked back at him, giving him a weak smile before stepping up on the stairs.

"Chloe," he called to her softly. "Are you sure nothing happened at the banquet?"

She paused and met his gaze with thoughtful regard. It had not been the first time he'd asked that question, which told Chloe that he suspected something but went along with her pretense anyway.

"I just don't feel well, Lex, and I want to sleep it off. That's all." She noticed how his chin rose slightly as he regarded her calmly. She gave him another half hearted smile then turned to the stairs and headed to her room.

He suspected that there was something she wasn't telling him as he watched her slowly make her way to the upper level. She had nearly jumped out of her skin when he had placed his arm around her in the limo, giving him the excuse that she couldn't stand to be touched when she felt ill. He had released her, but had become mildly suspicious.

Over the years he had seen Chloe both at her best and worst moments health wise, and although she had been slightly pale, he wasn't sure that she was as sick as she claimed. He remained at the foot of the stairs and listened intently to her ascension to the third level. Her footfalls had continued to sound sluggish but steady, not picking up to a normal pace after she left his sight as he had expected, which alleviated his suspicions. Letting it slip from his mind for the time being, he turned towards the pantry.

XxXxX

Chloe knew she had overreacted in the limo when Lex had touched her. She noticed how his brow arched slightly with speculation as he removed his arm from her shoulders, and she wasn't about to make the same mistake twice, at least not in the same night.

It required more concentration than she had thought it would to climb all three flights of stairs at the same drudging pace she had started in front of Lex, but she knew he was still down there, listening, waiting for her to give him some clue that his suspicions were warranted.

_'Not this night, Luthor_,' she thought reaching the third floor. _'Tonight you're going to go to bed thinking everything is just fine_.'

But everything was far from fine in Chloe's mind. She reached her room and softly closed the door. Leaning back on its solidness, she closed her eyes and let her head rest against the wood. Everything that had transpired within the past few days flooded her mind all at once. Her father, Nancy, Pete, Gina, and last, but most prominent, Lex.

She wearily moved to sit on the edge of the bed, using only the dim moonlight from the window to see by, and laid back to stare up at the ceiling. _'Okay, sort it out, Chloe_,' she told herself, and separated her thoughts for further consideration.

Her father, who had had a heart attack and didn't tell her because he believed her to be happy in her life in Gotham, and didn't want her to overreact and come rushing back just to dote on him hand and foot. He had met Nancy, who he '_did_' allow to dote on him hand and foot, and was now going to marry the woman.

Chloe pursed her lips in the semi dark, her eyes tearing with how much that truth hurt. She had always been the one her dad had turned to. She was the one he had called when he needed to sort things out, when the job got rough, or the weather was crappy and he just wanted to talk to someone. Thinking back in retrospect, Chloe realized that their phone conversations hadn't gotten any shorter since he had met Nancy, but she noticed in retrospect that he hadn't had as much to complain about the past several months.

She had so desperately wanted to prove Nancy unworthy of being in her dad's life that she had instantly convinced herself that something was wrong with the woman, refusing to see how happy Gabe was. She let a hot tear slide down the side of her face, her heart burning at the feeling of not being needed anymore. She sniffled softly, raising her eyes to stop more tears from falling, willing them to go back into their ducts. She stared blankly at the shadows on the ceiling, and tried swallowing back the salty taste of tears.

After a while, she rose and removed her gown, hung it on it's hanger, and put on her night clothes. She felt emotionally numb and empty about her dad being with Nancy, though she was happy for him that he had found someone to share his life with. She more than understood how lonely he had been, not having someone to share things with personally, after all it's not as though she'd had anyone in her life either.

Stepping into the private bathroom, she begrudgingly flicked on the light, squinting her eyes against the blaring brightness, and busied herself with her toiletries, all the while feeding into the inner void that no one needed her anymore. Which brought her thoughts back to Lex.

Finishing her nightly regiment, she flicked off the bathroom light and returned to the bed. Crawling under the covers, she hugged an overstuffed pillow in her arms with her cheek resting on a downy corner, then continued her bleak reverie.

He had read her like a book. He had known why she came back to Smallville, why she needed to find something wrong with Nancy, and he had used it to his advantage. It was her loneliness that had made it easy for Lex to lure her to him. He had freely admitted to having her followed, and she knew him well enough to know that he would have obtained information concerning everyone she came into contact with on a regular basis, including boyfriends. A very short list that was, but she refused to let herself be swayed from her mental point.

She bit gently on her bottom lip, though held back any further emotional breakdown. Lex had opened himself up to her, opened his home, his staff, and had made her feel welcomed. He made her feel wanted, and instead of being wary, she played right into his hands, denying that any of it meant much of anything at all. She had shrugged it off as just a game he played. A game she willingly went along with because he had made it so easy.

She rolled over onto her back, pulling the pillow under her head, her arms still holding it tightly around the sides of her face. She played back in her mind all the times he had touched her, how his eyes shone brightly with amusement when they sparred verbally with each other, how he allowed her to get closer and more comfortable with him with every day that passed.

Her eyes slid shut with the remembrance of his lips gently touching hers. How nice it felt with his arms around her, when his hand caressed her face. She took a slow deep breath, remembering tangibly his scent, and how much she wanted more. With a slow realization, she knew that she wouldn't be able to play this game and be able to walk away. Her attraction to him had deepened into a desire, a want of him, that wouldn't be ignored for much longer.

Shifting onto her side, she burrowed her cheek into the soft pillow and stared out the window into the moonlit sky. She wanted him, she rationalized, because he was manipulating her to want him. The only question on her mind as her eyes drifted shut was, _'Why?_'.

XxXxX

Enrique had been aware of his employer's return and started a pot of coffee in preparation for Chloe's visit to the pantry. Hearing someone sit down behind him, he quickly masked his surprise when he turned around from the counter, a fresh cup of coffee in his hand, to find Lex sitting at the table instead of Chloe.

"Sir? Would you care for a cup of coffee at this hour?"

"Sure, bring it over." Gesturing with his hand for Enrique to give him the cup in his hand.

"Unfortunately, this was prepared for Miss Sullivan, sir. It may not be to your liking," he explained as he set the mug down on the table.

"I'm sure Miss Sullivan won't mind. I doubt very much she'll be joining you this evening for your midnight java." Lex took a sip from the mug and winced at the sweetness of it. "On second thought, prepare me my own cup." Placing the mug at arms length on the table.

"Right away, sir." The butler dumped the first cup of coffee down the drain, then, taking a clean mug from the cupboard, prepared a fresh one for Lex. "Is everything in order, sir?" he asked, stirring two spoons of sugar into the cup.

"Nothing has been in order since Miss Sullivan's arrival, why would tonight be any different?" Lex asked lightly in response, curious to see if his servant would divulge any useful insights.

"I see," Enrique replied, speculating that the couple had had another quarrel. He silently placed the fresh cup of coffee before Lex.

"Do you honestly?" he asked picking up the cup. "Good, then you may explain it to me." He kept his eye contact while taking a sip of coffee, then placed the mug on the table.

"I hadn't meant to pry, Mr. Luthor. I was merely questioning if my services were needed beyond your requirements at this moment."

"Enrique, you've been in my employment too long for that to wash with me." He glanced up at his servant, leaning back in the chair with his head tilted slightly to the side. "You've come to know Chloe fairly well these past few days," he stated as a matter of fact. "Is it possible you could provide me with some insight to why she seems comfortable with me one moment, then can't bear my presence the next?"

"With all due respect, I can not claim to know that answer. Knowing Miss Sullivan's regular routine and personal preferences concerning her meals does not give me insight to how she thinks or what she feels."

Lex took another small sip from the cup before pushing back the chair to stand. "It's alright, I didn't actually expect you to tell me much of anything." He gave Enrique a pointed look, hoping the man would change his mind and tell him '_something_', '_anything_' concerning Chloe's mood swings. The man simply regarded his employer with a calm patient expression, obviously not dissuaded in the least. With a slight nod of his head, Lex stepped from the pantry and headed up to bed.

XxXxX

(Day six)

Chloe hadn't slept well at all the night before, repeatedly waking up only to toss and turn for a while before drifting back into a light sleep. She finally gave up after awaking just before dawn. Throwing on her robe, she had made herself some coffee and went to Lex's study to see if she could find an answer to explain why Lex wanted her to stay with him.

She sat in his upholstered chair and started her search with the desk drawers. She hadn't expected to find anything there, so wasn't disappointed when she proved herself right. Lex was too meticulous for that, too methodical, too damn secretive, to hide files in the desk.

'_Secretive_.' She mulled the word around in her mind, repeating it as her eyes slowly roamed around the room critically.

Rising to her feet to do a thorough search of the room itself, she tripped on the hem of her bathrobe while stepping around the leg of the chair. Reaching out instinctively to grab the edge of the desk, her hand hit the half full coffee mug, and knocked it to the floor, spilling coffee all over the floor, the side of the desk, and the cabinet along the wall.

"Dammit!" she muttered softly, then rushed to her room upstairs, grabbed a couple of towels from her bathroom, then ran back down to wipe up the mess from the polished wood.

Starting with the desk, she was grateful none of the liquid reached his desk mat, nor anything else she couldn't simply wipe off. With one easy motion she ran the towel down the side of the desk, then moved to wipe off the mahogany wall cabinet.

Getting down on her knees, she dabbed delicately at the intricate design in the wood until all the coffee was absorbed. Folding that towel in half she placed it on the floor to soak up the splatter, then did another once over with the clean dry towel to the furniture just to make sure she got all of it.

Satisfied that the mess was cleaned from the wood, she slowly began to rise, swiping the cloth upwards one last time as she went, when the towel snagged on an uneven grain in the wood. She ran her fingertips over the spot with mild curiosity, then bent over to inspect it closely. There was a very small, almost completely unnoticeable, splintering in the crease of a front panel.

With an intrigued expression, she placed the towel aside, then turned her full attention to the cabinet along the wall. Running a critical eye over the creases, her fingertips followed her line of sight, outlining the pattern of a panel that wasn't perfectly flush with the others. She sat back on her heels and smiled sardonically.

XxXxX

Upon entering the pantry, Lex had been informed that Chloe had awoken earlier than usual and that she had requested a light breakfast in his study. Without hesitation he turned and headed for said room, appearing in the doorway to find her sitting behind his desk with piles of folders in front of her.

"Where did you find those?" Lex asked tight lipped, immediately becoming defensive at recognizing the reports on the desk. It wasn't the fact that she was reading the files that bothered Lex, it was the fact that she had found them in the first place, hidden behind a secret panel in his study along with other personal effects.

"Exactly where you hid them," she answered boldly, meeting his cold gaze with her own.

"Being a guest in my home doesn't give you the right to go through my personal files," he replied, keeping his anger hidden under the surface of his calm façade.

"I had no right?" she asked rhetorically with raised brows, her own tone remaining calm. "You should know me well enough to know that I would've been looking for these." She picked up a few folders for emphasis while steadily holding his gaze, her ire seeping into her tone. "If you didn't want me to find them, then you shouldn't have told me about them in the first place!"

"All you had to do was ask, Chloe. I would've given them to you freely." He leaned over his desk on his knuckles. "Is that the reason for your roaming in the middle of the night? It took you this long to discover where I kept them?" he asked, retaining his outward composure.

"I wasn't looking for them until this morning," she retorted snidely. "And I found them fairly easily."

His expression became a complete mask of impassiveness. "What did you expect to find? I told you that I had you followed. There shouldn't be anything in those files for you to be surprised about."

"I wanted to know if your investigation was a thorough one or just a mild curiosity," she began saying, rising to her feet to walk around to his side of the desk. "I think '_thorough_' would be an understatement, but I'm not surprised. However, there are a couple of things that are questionable."

Lex's brow arched as he walked around her to sit behind the desk, regarding her with a calm detachment as he leaned back in the plush leather. "Really? And what would those be?"

"You cross referenced a woman named Anita Frisch," she commented, handing him a specific file. "I have no idea who she is, but I'm curious to what involvement you think I had with her."

"She's your cleaning maid," he replied after reviewing the folder briefly to refresh his memory.

"I don't have a cleaning maid."

"Yes, you do," he replied, meeting her gaze pointedly. "She is scheduled every other Thursday as it's stated in your tenant contract with your landlord, which you pay for in your rent."

"Son of a bitch!" she exclaimed more to herself. "I've been paying for a cleaning service that I never got?"

"Would you like me to take care of that for you?" he asked with a sardonic smirk. "It's clearly written in your tenant contract."

She knew by the look on his face that he had known all along about the lack of her receiving a maid service. "No, I'll take care of it myself."

He shrugged one shoulder, with his head cocked slightly to the side and his brows arched.

"As soon as I return to Gotham," she added pointedly, leaning on the desk for emphasis. His expression became somber once more. "Why were you doing this, Lex?"

He stood up, not feeling he was gaining any headway what so ever. "I wanted to make sure you landed on your feet," he said quietly, meeting her eyes with his. "I wanted to be able to help if you needed it."

She heard the sincerity in his tone, but it wasn't enough. "For seven years?" she asked, her own tone softening. "I admit that my first couple of years in Gotham were pretty shaky, but after that I managed just fine, or do I have you to thank for that?" she asked, her tone depicting her ire of what his answer might be.

"No, I told you the truth in that regard. I never interfered. Everything you've accomplished, you did on your own. Otherwise, you would have had your cleaning service," he added with a pointed expression.

"Lex, I need to know why you didn't stop," she implored, stepping around to his side of the desk. He dropped his gaze, turning his head to the side. She grabbed his face with her hand, her fingers firmly grasping his chin to force his attention back to her. "I want to know, Lex!"

As soon as his eyes met hers she realized her mistake and released him instantly. Suddenly having his attention wasn't such a good idea after all. His eyes became darker than she'd seen them in a long time. He narrowed them slightly to look at her with a chilling regard.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, rubbing her palm against her jeans as though wiping the contact from her skin would help matters. He had warned her specifically about doing that to him again. "I don't know where I picked up that habit. I'm sorry, Lex."

He straightened to his full height, holding her with his gaze. It was no longer about her finding his files or where he kept them. Nor was it about him investigating her in the first place. It was about personal space, more specifically it was about physical contact. He noticed her wiping her hand against her thigh in regret of her last action, her eyes fearful of how he was going to react in retribution.

It was her fear that kept him in place. She didn't trust him enough to know that he would never hurt her, no matter what she did to him. That realization hurt more than he wanted to admit. He trusted her enough to know that she would never do anything against him to warrant his vengeance, yet she obviously didn't return the sentiment, and her expression conveyed that clearly. She was afraid of him, plain and simple.

"This discussion has come to its end, Chloe," he stated calmly in an even tone. "If there's nothing else you wish to address concerning these files then I suggest we let it go. It's not as though you've never investigated me, now is it?"

"I want to know why, Lex," She stated after swallowing hard. Whatever he wanted to do, he was refraining from acting on it. "Why me?" she asked with more conviction, regaining some of her composure. "Why have you done this all these years? What do you want from me!"

His expression was that of complete control, an impenetrable mask that left no clue to what he was thinking. "You won't find that answer in a file, Chloe. I had hoped you would've figured that out on your own."

She backed away from him, denying once again what he could mean by those words. Her heart skipped at the thought of him having feelings for her, but she squashed that possibility as wishful thinking. Lex had an ulterior motive for everything, this wouldn't be any different.

"I assume nothing, Lex," she stated from near the doorway. "I'll just wait for you to decide to tell me what it is you want from me." She turned on her heels and left the study.


	12. Chapter 12

Sweet Surrender ~ Chapter 12

(Day Six con't)

Long shadows stretched across the solarium hardwood floor from the late afternoon sun. Chloe had been berating herself for the past two hours about how the conversation with Lex had turned for the worse in the study.

For at least the hundredth time she mentally kicked herself in the ass for backing away from him like she had. He would never do anything to hurt her, physically anyway, and she knew it. But for a split second, after she forcibly grabbed his chin, she hadn't been sure. She had never been on the receiving end of his dead pan cold gaze before, and it had quite honestly scared her.

She shook her head and stepped from the windows. What did she think he was going to do? Strike her? She let out an incredulous huff. Of course he wouldn't. She sat on the edge of the divan, rubbing her temples in an attempt to ease her pulsing headache.

'Why does he always have to make things complicated?' she thought with frustration. _'All I want to know is why I rated the exclusive Lex Luthor Attention Award for the past seven years!_' She sighed deeply, letting herself fall back against the soft cushions.

Lex had told her she wouldn't find that answer in a file, that he had hoped she'd figure it out herself. _'Well, I'm_ 'not' _figuring it out, Lex!_' she continued to think with exasperation. _'The only thing I'm coming up with is that you have way too much time on your hands!_'

*That's bullshit, and you know it.*

_'No, it's not_,' she argued with herself. _'There is no way he has feelings for me, or is attracted to me in any way!_'

*Right, that's why he gets close to you whenever possible, why he reaches out to you all the time. And you let him, encourage him even.*

_'No, this is a game to him, nothing else. It's all just a game_.'

*A game you want to play.*

_'I thought I did, but I was wrong._'

*Really? And are those feelings you have for him wrong too?*

_'Shut up. I didn't ask you._'

Chloe rose to her feet, vigorously shaking her head of all the conflicting thoughts in her head. Her feelings for Lex were starting to deepen, but that didn't mean she could let her guard down. He was manipulating her, though why, she hadn't a clue.

"Enrique," Chloe addressed aloud, catching a glimpse of the man as he walked past the doorway.

"Yes?" he inquired, stepping back to pause at the doorway.

"Do you have a minute?"

"Of course," he replied readily, stepping one foot into the room, giving Chloe his full attention.

"If you knew Lex's reasoning for why he did things, would you admit it to me?"

"I'm not at liberty to guess at Mr. Luthor's reasoning, Chloe," he replied, not surprised by her personal question. "Is there something more specific that you are wondering about?"

"I was wondering if you could give me any insight on the type of women Lex associates himself with. I know he's been through several failed marriages, but I can't understand why they all ended in divorce. He's not that intolerable."

"Perhaps what you consider to be 'tolerable' wasn't enough for other women," he surmised.

"Okay, this is getting nowhere fast," she mumbled more to herself, then readdressed Enrique. "Are you aware that he has had me investigated for the past seven years?"

"That would not be information I would be given, Chloe."

"Do you realize that one of his ex-wives divorced him because of his obsession with me?"

"Perhaps, Chloe, his '_obsession_', as you label it, was merely to assure your safety?" he suggested. "Lex has considered you a friend for quite a while, and we are both more than aware to what lengths he goes for those he considers a friend."

Enrique's innuendo was not lost to Chloe. "You are no help what so ever, Enrique."

"Be that as it may, I'm sorry I can't help you in this regard." He half turned back to the hallway then paused. "I can tell you one thing that may help. I had a similar conversation with Lex just last night concerning you."

"Oh, really?" she sounded, her brows arching with interest.

"Yes, it seems he is as intrigued by your reasoning of things, as you are of his."

"Now, that is helpful," she grinned pleasantly. "Guess I'll just have to wait for the source himself to explain things further."

Enrique nodded with a smile and stepped back into the hallway. Turning on his heel, Enrique headed down the hall towards the pantry.

XxXxX

(meanwhile-somewhere else in the castle)

William went to the study to find Lex sitting silently behind his desk bent over his paperwork. He had approached the room earlier that morning only to hear his employer having words with Miss Sullivan. Not having any interest in their conversation, he had went about his duties as normal, biding his time to have a moment with his boss.

"Excuse me, Mr. Luthor," William addressed respectfully, clearing his throat at the doorway.

Lex shifted his gaze from the folder on his desk towards the man addressing him. "William, you wished to meet with me," he stated matter of factly, closing the folder and leaned back in his chair to give the man his full attention.

"Yes, sir," he replied, stepping into the room. "I've stumbled onto a small dilemma that I'm not sure how to handle."

Lex regarded the servant with a steady gaze. "Enrique is more than capable of handling such things, William. Have you addressed this with him?"

"No, sir, I have not," he answered, shifting his weight slightly. "I thought to bring this to your attention directly, sir, considering how Enrique is handling much more important matters at the moment."

"I advise you to consider your choices of action more thoroughly in the future. Enrique is my head of staff, you do realize that by coming to me directly you bypassed his authority completely."

"That wasn't my intention, sir."

"No?" Lex inquired knowingly, leaning forward in his chair to steeple his fingers at his chin. "It would seem to me that that was entirely your intention. Perhaps in an attempt to regain the footing you feel you've lost." Lex held the man's gaze for a moment, watching him become more uncomfortable as the seconds ticked by in silence. "What is it you wish to address with me, William?" Lex asked unexpectedly, leaning back in his chair, satisfied that the servant would think twice before coming to him without consulting Enrique in the future.

"It seems quite trivial now, Mr. Luthor," William chuckled nervously, then swallowed hard and raised his chin. "I have come across some storage boxes marked as holiday ornaments." William swallowed again as Lex leaned forward in his chair, giving him his full attention. "They were locked in a closet on the third level, and I merely wanted to inquire if they should be moved to the attic with the rest of the..."

"Bring them to me, now."

"Yes, sir. Right away, Mr. Luthor."

William turned and hurriedly stepped from the study, leaning heavily against the wall in the hallway just outside. Exhaling heavily, he wiped at the thin layer of perspiration that had formed on his brow. After a moment, he took a deep breath then continued on towards the guest room containing the boxes, not quite certain if going to Lex directly had been such a good idea after all. One thing he was certain of though, he had definitely gotten his employer's attention!

XxXxX

It had taken William and a cleaning maid three trips to bring all eight boxes to his study. When Lex had questioned them of who else knew of these, they had reassured him that they had not mentioned it to anyone else. Lex had instructed them to keep it that way for the time being. They had acknowledged his orders with curt nods, and left him with haste, closing the door behind them.

Lex wasn't surprised to find the boxes marked exactly as the empty ones he had found in the basement. Nor was he surprised that they completed the sequential order of the missing years. What he was surprised about though, was his sudden reluctance to actually open them and see for himself what could possibly make Chloe and his head of staff go to such lengths to keep him from finding them.

He lounged in his chair for nearly an hour, his crossed ankles propped on the corner of the desk, staring at the boxes as though waiting for answers to simply appear before him without him having to move.

Finally, he dropped his feet to the floor, the chair squeaking beneath him as he shifted his weight. Standing, he moved to the other side of his desk and the stacked boxes in the center of the room.

Devoid of expectation, nor apprehension, he removed the lid of the closest one on top. He peered inside without touching anything at first, his brows furrowed with confusion until recognition smoothed the skin on his forehead. Without hesitation he returned to the desk with the box to nonchalantly sift through it.

He recognized each and every item, from toys to books to jewelry, as a gift that he had given to one person or another. The only thing missing was the truck he had given to Clark Kent, which ironically was still in his garage collecting dust.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply. He had been aware that most of his gifts had been refused, but, judging by the dates on the remaining boxes, it had been going on longer than he had thought. He worked his jaw, pursed his lips, then relaxed them again as a feeling of emptiness assaulted him. He had never been accepted. Never.

_'Have I ever refused anything you gave me, Lex?_'

Chloe had asked him the night they had spent together in the basement. At the time, he hadn't understood why it seemed so important to her, or why she had seemed so relieved with the answer he had given.

_'I never gave you anything to refuse, Chloe._'

He replayed his response to her in his mind, heading back to the stacked cartons. With single-minded determination, he grabbed the top crate and turned it upside down, watching as everything scattered onto the polished hardwood floor. In quick succession, he added two more boxes worth of contents to the first.

Bending down to one knee, his eyes scanned the scattered mess around him with purpose. His hands shuffled things out of his way until his gaze landed on one item in particular; a small jewelry box that he knew contained a pair of blue sapphire earrings. He picked up the box and sat back on his heels as he opened it to peer at the dazzling gems inside.

He had planned to give the earrings to Chloe for her graduation. He had planned to tell her how his feelings for her were deepening. He '_hadn't_' planned on kissing her that night, but it happened. It had been a kiss she had accepted from him, and responded to, just before she ran out the door.

He had fully accepted her reaction. Him kissing her had been an unexpected development, he had deemed it only natural for her to become flustered and rush out. He thought he would've been able to give the earrings to her the next morning, before the graduation ceremony. But he arrived at the Sullivan's only for Gabe to inform him that Chloe had already left.

"You didn't give me the chance, Chloe," he whispered almost inaudibly.

Closing the lid on the earrings, he let his eyes shift to the storage boxes, his gaze inadvertently landing on the one marked 1993. Rising to his feet, he placed the earrings in his pants pocket and opened the box in his sights. Peering inside, nothing in particular came to his attention. He was about to close the lid when he noticed the corner of a piece of paper sticking up between some toys. Shifting the things from around it, he uncovered the parchment enough to pull it out without ripping it.

The breath was knocked from him as he recognized his mother's writing immediately. Almost falling to the floor, he sat back in a daze and read the delicate script.

XxXxX

"Enrique," Lex addressed as the man entered the study. "I've come across a few things that I need disposed of." He shifted his focus towards the corner of the room off to the butler's left, and continued as Enrique turned his gaze in that direction. "Apparently it's stuff that no one wanted."

Enrique's parlor paled dramatically at seeing the boxes neatly stacked in the corner. He turned his gaze back towards Lex, keeping his composure intact. Until he noticed Lillian's note in Lex's hand.

"Sir," he began, not exactly sure what to say after that.

"I assume that those boxes are what Chloe found in the basement?" he half asked, ignoring his servant's attempt to speak, but not ignoring the fact that for the first time that he could remember, Enrique looked nervous and completely off guard.

"Yes, they are," he answered simply.

Lex held Lillian's note at chest level, gazing down at the script, though obviously not reading it. "You know, Enrique, I never thought about exactly how long you've been an employee of this family." He turned his gaze to the servant. "Until just a while ago." He placed the note on his desk almost reverently, then stepped around to the other side of the furnishing. "I'm interested in knowing how a man such as yourself has been able to retain his position, especially in this family, for as long as you have." Lex stepped closer to the other man, noticing that the servant regained his control and regarded Lex with stoic detachment.

"I have always taken pride in my work, and my employment, if that is what you are asking."

"Oh, that I'm sure of," Lex stated with confidence, leaning back on the edge of the desk. "I've seen that for myself. But I wonder how you were able to manage so well with my father before coming here under my employment, and why would my mother entrust such a dire secret, something that was so important to her, to a mere servant?"

"Your mother was limited in her options," he replied respectfully while retaining a neutral tone. "As for your father, he rarely paid his servants half the attention that you yourself bestow."

"You do understand what I'm implying, don't you?"

"I understand fully what you are implying, Lex, and you are wrong," Enrique stated aggressively, meeting Lex's gaze head on.

"Well, with such conviction as that, I must be." Lex replied with a half amused smirk, then regarded the man thoughtfully. "But, that doesn't explain how you came to end up here in Smallville under my employment, my mother had nothing to do with that."

"That answer should be obvious, wouldn't you say? I was instructed to '_observe_' you upon your arrival and report anything out of the ordinary to your father."

Lex chuckled without humor, lowering his head briefly, though not surprised by what he was being told. "So all those attempts at high tech espionage were nothing but a show, you were my father's informant all those years?"

"I knew nothing of your business dealings. I was merely instructed to report anything out of the ordinary, which honestly speaking, mostly involved the Kent boy. "

Lex chuckled again, only this time with more conviction. "He was prone for out of the ordinary situations, wasn't he?"

"Without a doubt, sir," he agreed casually, though stayed on guard for Lex's next bout of questioning.

Lex met Enrique's gaze, straightening his head to hold his chin high. "How were you able to convince Chloe to not come to me concerning those boxes? She's usually so upfront when it comes to finding things."

"Chloe was more upset about her finding them than I would have ever expected. I admit to being relieved when she became very adamant about you not finding out about your mother's note and the contents of those boxes."

"Do you honestly think something like this would bother me?" he asked, not showing his true feelings on the matter. Chloe had blatantly lied to his face in an attempt to protect him from possibly getting hurt.

"I've been keeping this to myself for so long, it just came natural to follow through with the secrecy."

Lex nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I commend you on a job well done, Enrique, but if you think for one moment that I didn't know when my gifts were rejected, then you are as blind as my mother was in that regard."

"Then I am comforted in knowing that I am not the only one who is blind to how well you protect your feelings. I may be out of line at the moment, but I know for a fact that you are not as infallible as you pretend to be. I stand by my decision to follow Lillian's instruction well after the necessity to do so was warranted, and I would continue to do so if I am not being dismissed."

"That's your sense of humor, right?" Lex asked with slight conviction. "You honestly think I would dismiss you for something as trivial as this? You obviously don't realize how irreplaceable you are. Not just in my home, but in my life as well. I expect you to carry on with your duties as you have always done."

"Very well, sir."

Lex glanced back and down at his desk and idly straightened the mat that didn't need fixing. "Exactly how adamant was Chloe about keeping this secret of yours?" he asked softly.

"Very adamant. My only problem in this regard was that Miss Sullivan refused to let me handle things as I am used to doing. I was concerned on her behalf for how you would have reacted towards her when you discovered she had misled you."

"You mean when I found out that she lied to me."

"I don't believe she actually lied to you. After the boxes were removed from the basement, Chloe had no knowledge of their whereabouts what so ever."

Lex thought about that for a moment, then returned the man's gaze directly. "Then she was the one who moved them?" Enrique nodded. "And I'm supposed to believe that she simply handed them over to you without further arguments?"

"I believe that Miss Sullivan suddenly became aware of how often she would have to lie to you if she remained involved, and I have a feeling that she didn't want to risk losing your trust over a few boxes of _'stuff that nobody wanted'_."

"I'm getting the very distinct impression that you know Miss Sullivan better than you led me to believe last night, Enrique. Is there anything else you '_believe_' I should know about?"

Enrique held his employers gaze for almost a full minute, trying to decide how involved he wanted to become in this little game these two people were playing with each other. He knew of their attraction for each other, he saw how comfortable they were together, how they continuously bantered wits while holding a casual conversation. But beyond all that, he also knew they were both being stubborn about admitting what all those things could mean if they let it continue further. Coming to a decision, Enrique stepped forward, noticeably relaxing his stance in a way that he had never done in front of Lex before.

"I am not one for gossip or tall tales, Lex, but I will admit to you, at this moment only, that I believe you're a fool's ass if you let Chloe leave this mansion without telling her how you feel about her. She thinks you are using her for some ulterior reason and will not accept her own feelings towards you because of that misconception."

Lex's jaw clenched at least three times while his butler spoke to him. Rising from the edge of the desk, he stepped forward, making Enrique take a step back to avoid physical contact.

"I suppose you'd tell me that I asked for that," he stated bluntly.

"You '_did_' ask, sir," Enrique replied, retaining his composure.

Lex walked away, shoving his hands into his pockets, his left hand coming in contact with the small box with the earrings in it. He pulled it out and casually opened it to gaze thoughtfully at the jewelry.

"Do you by any chance remember who I had given what gift to?" he asked casually, glancing up at Enrique, his hand gesturing towards the stacked boxes.

"No, I'm sorry, I don't. I might have been able to guess if everything was still in their original marked boxes, but Chl... Miss Sullivan took the liberty of combining things for less storage space."

Lex nodded curtly and returned his attention to the earrings in his hand. "Since you were remarkably honest with me concerning your opinion," he stated without looking up. "I'll let you in on a secret of my own." After a short pause he glanced up at Enrique, holding the box up for him to see it's contents. "This is the only gift that was never returned. Because she left before I could give it to her."

Enrique's eyes lit with realization. "I hope I wasn't too out of line, sir."

"You think of that now?" Lex chuckled good humouredly. He closed the little box and put it back in his pocket. "Dispose of that as you see fit." Gesturing towards the corner of the room. "None of those things mean anything to me anymore. In the meantime," he added, heading for the door. "I'm curious to see if this gift will truly stand out among the rest."

Reaching the doorway, he turned around to address Enrique face to face. "Just one more thing I need to address with you. Don't make a habit of calling me by my first name. I usually encourage that from people, but coming from you, it just sounded too weird."

"I'll make a note of that, sir," Enrique replied. Lex gave him a curt nod, then left the room. Enrique turned to face the corner of boxes and took a deep cleansing breath. He felt relieved now that Lex knew about this secret, even though he suspected that Lex had been hurt more than he admitted. Exactly how deep that hurt goes will depend on the reaction of one Chloe Sullivan when presented with a gift that is long overdue.

XxXxX

"I thought I'd find you in here," Lex stated smoothly as he entered the solarium. "I've learned at least a few things about you during your stay in the mansion," he continued as she turned from the window to look at him. Slowing his pace to a stop in the center of the room, he put his hands in his pockets and continued. "For instance, I know you come to this room when you want to think or be left alone. I know you meet with Enrique for a cup of coffee practically every night, usually after you wake up from having a nightmare, and I know that you have lied to me, along with my head of staff, in what I am supposed to regard as kindness of the heart from both of you."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said cautiously, not knowing what he knew and what he didn't.

"I'm talking about 'stuff nobody wanted'," he stated bluntly, paying close attention to her reaction. "That's how you referred to the boxes from the basement, am I correct?" He noticed exactly when she paled slightly, briefly held her breath, then let it loose again along with a deep intake of air.

"I can't believe you're pissed because we wouldn't tell you about them!" she voiced incredulously.

"Who said anything about me being pissed?" he smirked at her. "I just wanted you to know that I found out your little secret, and to inform you that you were wrong."

"I was wrong about what?" she asked, not sure if she was going to like his answer or not. So far he walked into the room with accusations flying, only to smirk at her and say he's not mad about her not telling him. Now he claims she was wrong about something, and she dreaded what he would say next.

"Not everything in those boxes was unwanted. There was one thing among them that I wanted very much."

"If you wanted it so much, then why was it in a box that you didn't even know about?" she asked smugly, then thought of something else. "Unless you knew about them all along," she stated suggestively.

"No, I didn't know about the boxes," he admitted. "But I find it interesting how defensive you've become on my behalf, just to spare me from possibly being hurt."

"You make it sound as though I hate you or something. I wouldn't purposely hurt you, Lex."

"No? Are you sure about that? What are your feelings towards me, Chloe? Are we friends? Because I've considered you a friend for a long time, but you apparently didn't share that opinion. We're not lovers, though you haven't shirked from the small advances I've made towards you. But, on the same hand, you haven't made any advances towards me, unless you want me to consider our night in the basement, which I hadn't."

"No, I wasn't coming on to you that night," she denied, shaking her head.

"Are you sure about that? You seemed very comfortable nestled within my arms, and I know it wasn't that cold."

"Look, Lex, I don't know where your going with this, but I'm..."

"You wanted to know why I didn't stop investigating you," he said, cutting her off mid sentence. "The truth is that I didn't want to. I missed you after you left Smallville, and I thought by getting a monthly report I would still be a part of your life. I see now how wrong I was. I was never a part of your life, you were just a part of mine."

"Lex, you're scaring the hell out of me."

"I'm scaring myself," he said softly, stepping towards her while reaching in his pocket for the earrings as he continued talking. "I want the chance you never gave me, Chloe. I wanted to give you this when you came by the mansion that night before your graduation." He removed the tiny box from his pocket and held it up for her to see.

Chloe started to slowly shake her head from side to side, her lips mouthing the word no as she backed up half a step as he came towards her.

"I hadn't intended on kissing you that night, Chloe, I want you to know that, but I don't regret it either." He stood before her, his gift between his fingers between them, his gaze rested on her face while she stared at the box silently denying that it was meant for her.

"You stood by my side against my father with such determination to prove yourself that it was admirable. Your adeptness at finding information excelled my own private investigators, and I admired that about you." He paused only until she raised her eyes to meet his. "I wanted to tell you how I felt that night and give this to you." He shook his head slightly with regret. "I never expected you to leave like you did, and it took every ounce of restraint I had not to go after you. So, I'm telling you now, and I still want you to have this."

"No, Lex, you can't do this," she murmured, shaking her head.

"Chloe, take it. Don't let it end up in a box in the basement."

"Lex, please, stop!" she shouted, and walked around him to put some distance between them. "You can't do this! You can't just throw out there that you have feelings, or obsessions, or whatever the fuck you have for me, and simply expect me to accept it!"

He lowered his head, unseeingly looking at the gift in his hands, the gift she was refusing from him. Then his head came up, his eyes set with new resolve.

"Why not? You can accept that your lover had lied to you for almost a year, you can accept that freaks exist, and that meteor rocks have enhancement qualities, but you can't accept that I have feelings for you and want to share my life with you?"

She glared at him. "How '_dare_' you bring him up after I told you that I didn't know about his wife! And as soon as I found out I broke off the relationship!"

"And the other examples? Are they more believable to you than my wanting you?"

"Yes! As a matter of fact they are! '_They_' can be proven! What proof do I have that you're not just playing your games and trying to use me for whatever scheme you have going on in that head of yours?"

"Maybe I should try to reproduce the truth serum my father was experimenting with, would you inhale it just to prove me wrong?"

"No," she answered too quickly.

"No? why not? I could do it, and you know it!"

"I don't want anything to do with anything Lionel had his hands on! Those experiments were deadly and you know it! I don't need meteors to tell me that you're up to something!"

"Then you honestly can't believe that what I want from you, is you, and that my feelings are real."

"I'm sorry, I can't deal with this, Lex. I've grown fond of you, I honestly have, and there is an attraction. But, you want too much, too fast, and I honestly don't trust you enough to believe that you don't have some secret alternative up your sleeve. I can't take the chance of falling in love with you only to find out this was all just some game to you." She backed away from him, heading towards the door.

"Give me the remainder of our agreement to show you that I'm serious."

"I know we had a deal, but I'm sorry, I can't stay with you."

"Dammit, Chloe, you know me better than that!"

"I know, that's why I'm leaving, Lex! Because I know you better than that!"

He turned his back to her, hearing her leave the room as his shoulders slumped in defeat. He refused to say anything else to her. He thought she would have given him a chance, he thought she would have opened up to him, he obviously thought wrong.

He opened the little case in his hand and stared at the earrings inside. She hadn't even looked at them. She had refused to accept them just because they were from him, Lex Luthor, billionaire business tycoon. He snapped the lid closed and clenched it in his fist before flinging the velvet box across the room in a sudden fit of anger, then numbly stared at it for a minute after it had landed in the cold fireplace. With a shrug of feigned indifference he walked over to a chair and gently lowered himself into the thick cushions, covering his face with both his hands, his elbows resting on his knees.

She had watched him from the doorway with conflicting emotions, knowing that he thought she had completely abandoned him. A part of her wanted to go back to him, hold him, and be everything he wanted of her. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. With deep regret in her eyes, she slowly, quietly, backed further into the hallway, and headed to her room to pack.


	13. Chapter 13

Sweet Surrender - Chapter 13

Enrique had stood in the hall, just out of sight of the couple in the solarium, and knew exactly when things had taken a turn for the worse. With unwavering resolve, he stiffly turned and headed for the stairs. _'This has gone on long enough_.' He thought decisively. _'It is time for drastic measures_.'

XxXxX

Chloe felt emotionally numb as she made her way to her room. Of all the things Lex could have shocked her with, she never would have expected him to openly admit that he had feelings for her, which only amplified her suspicions that he was manipulating her. He simply didn't work that way. He would never just walk into a room and proclaim his feelings like he had done.

She knew he had meant every word he had said, his sincerity emanated from him so tangibly she could have touched it, but it wasn't right. It just couldn't be right. She reasoned with herself that Lex must feel indebted to her or something equally important to deem himself in love with her. If only she could figure out what it was she had done, then she could help him realize that his attraction to her wasn't real.

Tears threatened at the corners of her eyes as she reached the upper hallway. The logical side of her brain had taken a side step to let her emotions have their way with her. She '_wanted_' to believe him. She '_wanted_' him to feel the way he said he did. The only trouble was that she knew he didn't. He had another reason for wanting her, and she was certain it had nothing to do with his feelings.

_'Whatever his reason_,' she thought dismally, tasting the salt in the back of her throat. _'He obviously has a deadline. Otherwise he would have let me fall into his grasp hook, line, and sinker_.'

With a spurt of anger, she swiped at the moisture on her cheek as she entered her bedroom. "You had to keep pushing, didn't you, Lex?" she mumbled to herself under her breath as she went to the closet and retrieved her suitcases. "It was getting harder and harder for me to resist you. But, no! You '_had_' to push, you '_had_' to say the most unbelievable thing to ever come out of your mouth!" She flopped the empty cases onto the bed, one from each hand.

"Is everything alright, Miss Sullivan?" Enrique inquired from the doorway, hearing her mumbled musings from the hallway.

"No, Enrique, everything is not alright," she answered honestly, wiping another tear before glancing at the servant briefly, then unzipped the larger of the two cases on the bed. "But it will be. I'm leaving."

"Very well," he replied formally with a nod. "When should we expect your return?"

She chuckled gruffly, walking around the bed towards the walk-in closet. "I'm not coming back," she stated with conviction, pausing to look at the man before opening the closet only to find it empty. "What the hell?" Her expression turned to one of complete confusion. "Where are my clothes?!"

Spinning on her heel, she went to the bureau, pulling out all the drawers to find them empty as well. "That bastard!" she shouted irately, scurrying around the room to the other bureau. "He couldn't possibly have known that I would pack up and leave after he fed me that line of bullshit!"

"What line of bullshit would that be, Chloe?" Enrique asked casually from the door.

With a flushed face she stopped her frantic search to stare at the man. "I can't believe he took my clothes just to keep me from leaving! That is low, even for Lex!"

Maybe, just maybe, if she had been paying closer attention to the man standing in the doorway she would have noticed how his eyes had narrowed just slightly at her insult towards his employer. How his chin rose just a little higher with indignation. How his normally casual expression had become hardened with defensiveness.

"And playing games with a man's emotions is not considered low?"

"What?" Chloe asked with confusion. She wasn't sure she had heard him correctly, and his tone hadn't been cordial at all. It had been bitter and down right harsh.

"I don't find it amusing how you've been toying with Lex's feelings."

"Excuse me?!" she exclaimed incredulously. "I have done no such thing! If anything, he's the one who..."

"You deny praising him one moment, then belittling him the next?" Enrique asked with a quirked brow. "Didn't you just admit a moment ago that you thought him capable of behaving so low to take away your clothing just to prevent you from leaving?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"Well, Miss Sullivan, it seems to me that if you truly wanted to leave the premises you would have done so, with or without your belongings."

"So you decided to take matters into your own hands!" she yelled, then softened her tone as realization sunk in. "You're the one who took my clothes, aren't you, Enrique?"

"Yes, I did."

"How dare you?!" she seethed, raising her voice to a high pitched level. "This is none of your business! I don't give a damn how long you've worked here, nothing gives you the right, the audacity, to take my belongings as though I was some spoiled child!"

"I apologize if you feel I have treated you as such, Chloe," he stated evenly, sounding sincere. "I meant to treat you as the pompous pretentious bitch you've been acting, not as a spoiled child."

"A what?!" she screamed incredulously. "A pompous... what?! How '_dare_' you call me a bitch! What gives you the right to say anything like that about me?! I have done nothing to you to deserve this kind of treatment!"

"You have also done nothing but take a man's heart and stomp on it after he held it out to you in the palm of his hand!" Enrique spat back in a low tone, displaying his own emotional ties in the matter. "You have also done nothing but deny to yourself that you share those same exact feelings that he proclaimed to have for you! And, Miss Sullivan, you have done nothing to hide those feelings from anyone but yourself."

"You're wrong," she breathed as though she had been punched in the gut. Enrique quirked a brow skeptically. "He's the one with the obsession!" she blurted accusingly, pointing towards the hallway, and figuratively, at Lex. "He's the one who ruined marriages over me! He's the one who stood in front of me and..." Her throat suddenly constricted, cutting off her voice. The weight of his words finally echoing throughout her mind.

"He is the one who opened his heart to you without question," Enrique adlibbed for her when she choked on her words. Stepping into the room he continued, "He is the one you wanted to protect from getting hurt by his mother's note. He is the one you were willing to do anything for to prevent him from finding that note," he added in a sterner tone. "And he is the one drowning himself in a bottle that he hasn't touched in over five years, because of you!"

Chloe's mouth silently fell open, her eyes wide with shock. She had taken appropriate steps backwards as Enrique advanced upon her, resulting in her plopping precariously onto the edge of the bed when the back of her knees hit the mattress.

She stared up at him, her mind drawing a complete blank as to how to handle this situation. She had never seen Enrique show such emotion before, such irate hatred. With the pretense to at least close her mouth, she finally blinked and shifted her weight further back on the mattress.

"I think, Chloe," Enrique stated in a much calmer, softer tone. "You need some time alone to think things through." He straightened to his full height, turned, and walked out of the room, closing the door firmly behind him.

Chloe hadn't realized she was holding her breath until it escaped past her lips in a rush. She bowed her head to stare unseeingly at the floor. It hit her hard to realize that everything Enrique had said was the truth. She slowly shook her head in a state of shock. She could not believe she had been so cruel to him when he had been honest with her from the moment she set foot in the mansion.

_'How could I have sunk so low?_' she asked herself, letting her tears flow freely down her cheeks. _'How could I have treated him like that?_'

A sob escaped her lips at the realization that he had meant every word concerning his feelings for her, otherwise, he wouldn't be swimming towards the bottom of a bottle, a bottle he hadn't touched since his father was alive. And it was all her fault.

She had hurt him deeply with her rejection, and why? Because she hadn't been ready to admit her own feelings were true. Because being near him made her have feelings she hadn't felt in so long. Because she would have never left Smallville if he had told her back then, what he told her earlier that day.

"Oh my god," she cried into her hands. "What did I do? I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it! I swear I didn't!"

After crying herself out, she dropped her hands from her face, and rose to her feet. Wiping her tears, she stepped into the bathroom to clean herself up and regain some semblance of control over her emotions. Sluggishly returning to the main room, she took a deep steadying breath and headed into the hallway, hoping it wasn't too late to rectify the damage she had done.

XxXxX

(Seventh Night)

"Enrique?" she addressed in a small voice from the pantry doorway.

"He's in the den across the hall," he answered nonchalantly, not bothering to look up from his novel.

Chloe nodded then walked into the den to find Lex well into the throws of drunkenness, if his outward appearance was any clue that is. The floor was littered with his personal effects, including his shoes and socks, his belt, cell phone, and a handful of coins from his pockets.

Moving around to the front of the sofa, she absorbed his disheveled appearance with a heavy heart. His shirt was pulled from his pants and was held closed by only the center button, the other shirt buttons were nestled between his toes, which seemed to have his avid attention with his feet propped up on the coffee table.

She stood before him with fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. She had caused this. It was because of her that he wanted to drink himself into oblivion. She opened her mouth to say his name, to tell him that she was sorry, but she found that she couldn't get the words out.

Turning her face away from him to think of what to do, something white resting on the char-colored log in the fireplace caught her eye. Moving closer to it, she bent over to peer inside, finding the jewelry case that Lex had tried giving to her earlier. She took it gently between her fingers and opened it. A sharp breath escaped her when she found herself staring at the blue sapphire earrings she had admired in the basement.

The sound she had emitted hadn't sounded so subtle to Lex's ears. He had let his eyes follow her to the fireplace, knowing why she would go over there in the first place. A part of him had hoped she would start the flames, and burn what was left of her accepting his affections. But she hadn't burned it. She stared at his gift, the gift she had refused to take from him, the last gift he planned on giving to anyone ever again.

He let his head loll towards his other shoulder, he didn't want to look at her anymore, it simply hurt too much. Working his numb jaw open, then closed, then open again, he raised the bottle in his hand to his lips. With eyes closed he waited for the liquid to burn his throat as he swallowed slowly, then took another swig, and another when it went down smoothly.

He sighed deeply, a content smirk on his lips, as he opened his eyes to see 'her' standing in front of him again. It looked as though she was crying, but he wasn't sure that it wasn't the damn jewels she held in her hand, or maybe he had already drunk too much to see clearly.

"Lex?" she questioned, once again crying openly. Not just at the sight of him, but because she didn't know how to fix this. "I'd like to keep these if you'll still let me have them," she continued, hoping that by accepting his gift he could forgive her at least a little. "They really are beautiful," she sniffled, glancing at the pair of sparkling gems in her palm. "I can wear them at the next banquet you drag me to," she added, lifting her gaze to meet his eyes and gave him a half smile full of uncertainty and awkwardness.

He blankly stared at her, not paying much attention to what she was saying to him. Her words floated away as soon as she spoke them, but he recognized the pleading tone in her voice. She was asking him if she could have the earrings, he understood that much. What she wanted them for, he had no idea.

_'Probably to trade in for a new computer system, knowing Chloe_,' he thought dryly. _'Or maybe she could buy herself a decent nights sleep with them_.' A sardonic smirk slowly formed on his lips at that last thought.

"Lex, please, say something, anything!" she pleaded.

Placing herself between the coffee table and the sofa, she gently sat on the table in front of him, next to his crossed ankles. Her brows creased with confusion about the buttons he had stuck between his toes. Tentatively she reached out and let her hand hover just above his foot, glanced over at him, then proceeded to remove them when he didn't motion to stop her.

Returning her attention to his face, she wasn't sure what to say. So far all he had done was stare at her, and she wasn't even sure that he actually saw what he was looking at. Enrique was right, Lex didn't need to prove anything to her, he'd been doing that all along and all she had done was slap him in the face for it. She was the one who had a lot of proving to do, and she had no idea where to start.

She watched him guzzle a few more mouthfuls of the scotch, then sloppily wipe his chin with his sleeve. His head wobbled slightly as though his neck wasn't strong enough to hold it up, then fixed his eyes on her unseeingly as he belched loud enough to make Simba proud.

_'Now he's numb_,' she thought regrettably. _'There is no way in hell Lex would belch like that in front of anyone_.'

Putting the earrings down, she reached over him and closed her hand around the bottle to take it from him. He pulled it back from her grasp and hugged it protectively against his chest with both arms, meeting her eyes directly for the first time since she entered the room.

"I gave you everything and you didn't want it. This is mine," he said clearly, though she heard the drunken slur in his voice.

"Lex, give me the bottle, and you can have me instead." She spoke clearly and slowly, once again reaching for the bottle.

He wasn't sure he had heard her right, something about having Keanu Reeves in bed, but he let her take the scotch from him none the less. _'Let her have it,_' he thought to himself. _'Let her have everything. Go head, Chloe, take everything!_' he thought louder in his head, thinking he was speaking aloud. _'Take the bottle, take the mansion, take the damn earrings, take the fucking cars too while you're at it!_'

"No, don't take my cars," he managed to say aloud. "Take eveythin else, not my cars."

"I'm not taking anything from you, Lex," she whispered, not understanding why he would say something like that. "I'm just putting the scotch on the table, right here, where you can reach it."

He watched her put the near empty bottle on the coffee table, then gently take hold of his ankles to swing his legs onto the sofa.

"Come on, Lex, help a little bit, will ya?"

He shifted his body around to conform with her moving him fully onto the couch. After he finally settled down on his back, she eased herself down to settle alongside of him, positioning herself on and around him as comfortably as possible without him moving to help.

She took hold of his arm that he let dangle off the side, and placed it behind her for it to rest limply across the small of her back, then let her head rest at his shoulder. She laid like that long after his breathing had become steady, hoping that tomorrow he would at least talk to her.

XxXxX

(Day Seven)

The first thing he was aware of as consciousness slowly crept into his brain was the excruciating pain of his skull being split in two. Then came the ever pleasant feeling of having to peel his tongue from the roof of his mouth. After finally being able to swallow, he was rewarded with that lovely taste of battery acid in the back of his throat.

Trying to inhale deeply, he next became aware of a restriction on his chest, preventing him from taking a full breath. He slowly opened his eyes to find himself staring blurrily at the bottle of scotch, with a quarter of the vicious liquid still in it, sitting on the coffee table.

_'Great, I didn't even finish the bottle_,' he thought groggily, still trying to swallow that taste of battery acid in the back of his throat.

Becoming slightly more aware, he realized that something heavy, although soft and warm, was lying on top of him, hence the reason he couldn't breathe freely. With complete concentration, he slowly turned his body sideways to roll whatever it was off of him.

Not even halfway through this task, he felt something grip his shoulder just before hearing a soft, muffled moan of protest. His body fell back to its original position, his head snapped around, and his eyes popped open wide to experience that excruciating pain in his skull ten times worse than it had been a moment before. With a loud groan, he let his head fall back, closing his eyes as he raised his hand to cover his face, wishing he would just die already.

It soon became too much trouble to hold his arm up just to cover his face, so he unceremoniously let his hand drop, coming into contact with what was on his chest as it fell to the side. Willing himself to try this one more time, he opened one eye, slowly, to peek at his chest. His vision was met with blonde hair.

_'Chloe?_' he thought with confusion, and closed his eye again. Turning his head slightly to the side, he re-opened his eye and fuzzily glanced at the bottle of scotch. Groaning softly, he closed his eye once more. '_Fuck_.'

"Would you like your aspirin now, sir?" Enrique whispered from somewhere close by.

"Is it extra strength?" he asked without opening his eyes.

"Of course."

Lex turned his limply hanging hand palm up, waiting for his servant to drop the gods send into his palm. Feeling him place the two pills in his hand, Lex closed his fingers around them, and dropped them into his mouth. Attempting to raise himself up on an elbow to drink some water, he was met with a problem. He couldn't move with Chloe laying on him like she was.

Opening his eyes to narrowed slits, he looked up at Enrique for assistance. To his relief, the man had placed a drinking straw in the glass of water and was holding it at Lex's level. Not caring at that moment, he gulped a few mouthfuls through the straw, swallowing the pills.

That done, he let his head fall back again, taking a deep breath. He glanced over towards Enrique again, knowing the man hadn't left yet. They had some discussing to do, and there was no time like the present.

"Anything I should know about last night?" he asked in a low voice, trying hard to focus his vision.

"Nothing you have to be concerned about at the moment."

Lex nodded in acceptance and closed his eyes again. "Good, now tell me how to get her the hell off of me."

"Maybe you could try poking her," Enrique suggested.

"That would hurt too much."

"I didn't mean harshly."

"I meant me. We both know once she wakes up, she'll want to talk, and I'm not in the mood," Lex droned in a monotone voice.

"Well, if I may say...,"

"Just say it," Lex quipped impatiently.

"She didn't fall asleep until early this morning, maybe she'll sleep a little longer."

Lex squinted up at him discerningly. "You are no help what so ever, Enrique."

"So I've been told before, sir." He turned to leave, then paused. "There is just one other thing, sir." Lex peered at him with one eye half opened. "She threatened the entire staff bodily harm if you were disturbed in any way. Under the circumstances, I thought it best to heed her advisement." The man turned and left the room, not needing a formal dismissal.

Lex let his eye close again, and waited for the aspirin to kick in so his head would stop throbbing. _'At least that explains why I'm still on the couch_,' he thought.

XxXxX

Chloe felt herself starting to fall, her body instinctively reacting by reaching out to grab at anything to prevent herself from hitting the floor. Whatever she managed to grasp worked, her unprecedented movement stopped and she was able to relax.

Her mind followed her bodily reflexes and snapped to wakefulness with a jolt. Quickly realizing that she was not going to fall, she relaxed her grip on what she knew was Lex's shoulder. The sound of low spoken words above her told her that Lex was the reason for her near tumble, but it was his words that made her remain completely still and pliant.

"Good, now tell me how to get her the hell off of me."

She had cringed inwardly at hearing him say that. It meant he didn't appreciate her staying with him, and that she had fucked up more than she had imagined. Not knowing what to do, or how to react to his want to be rid of her, she simply pretended to be asleep.

After an indiscernible amount of time the pounding in Lex's head started to subside as the pain killers kicked in. Being able to breathe easier, he gently grasped at Chloe's shoulders to roll her over towards the back of the sofa so he could slip out from under her without waking her up. Her reaction to his touch, however, let him know immediately that she was already awake. Ignoring the sudden tension in her back and shoulders, he continued with his original plan. Easing himself to his feet, leaving her to rest quietly in the den while he headed for his room to shower and change.

Chloe released a shaky breath when she was sure that he was gone. Pulling herself to a sitting position, she wiped at her face and ran her fingers through her slightly disheveled hair. Letting her body limply fall back against the cushions, she stared at the ceiling and idly wondered if Lillian had left a note somewhere explaining how to get back into the good graces of a Luthor male after he had been scorned.

With a deep hopeless sigh, she got to her feet. A note from Lillian would've been nice, but extremely unlikely. However, there was one person in the mansion that might be able to help her. If he didn't hate her too much to help, that is.


	14. Chapter 14

Sweet Surrender - Chapter 14

(Day Seven - con't)

"Chloe?" Enrique inquired softly from the guest room doorway.

"He hates me," she replied dejectedly, tossing her things haphazardly into her cases.

"One doesn't fall out of love within the matter of hours, Chloe," he reassured her soothingly. She had obviously heard Lex's earlier comment of not wishing to deal with her and had taken it to heart.

"Lex can," she responded dismally, pausing briefly to wipe a stray tear from under her eye. "He's more than capable of detaching himself, watch me try my damnedest to make up for how I hurt him, only to walk away like I never meant anything to him at all."

Enrique couldn't dispute Chloe's point. Lex was indeed capable of such a thing if pushed hard enough, or hurt deeply enough, and it had been many a year since he had seen Lex hit the bottle like he had the evening before. The only consoling fact on Chloe's part was that she had stayed instead of leaving as she had threatened. That she stayed with Lex himself had soothed his hurt more than Chloe would ever know.

"Would you like some breakfast before you leave?"

"No thanks, Enrique," she replied in a low voice, not bothering to look up at him. "I honestly think it would be better if I just left."

"Nothing I said meant anything to you, then?"

"Everything you said meant something. But it's too late. He closed himself off from me."

"You can still make amends, Chloe."

Chloe stopped her packing and slowly turned to face the servant. "How am I supposed to make amends? He didn't even want me near him this morning!"

"It will take time, but possibly not as much as you may think."

"That's the problem, I don't have time. Everything has its order with Lex, everything has its synchronicity, and I put things so out of sync that I'm not sure that there's anything I could do to ever amend it."

"You realize that once you leave the mansion you can never return."

"I'm more than well aware of that fact."

"Everything you have accomplished these past few days will be for naught."

"I know, but I can't stay where I'm not wanted," she replied with a sniffle. Zipping her cases closed she hauled them from the mattress to stand before Enrique, all packed and ready to go.

Enrique stepped further into the room, his expression pleading her to change her mind. "After all that has occurred, you have no understanding how much he wants you with him. He is not as cold and inhuman as you deem him capable, Chloe."

She met his pleading eyes, a hopelessness in her own. "He can be, Enrique. He can be so cold and unfeeling that it'll make you regret ever caring for him in the first place. I can't watch that happen, it would hurt too much."

"Then I won't stand in your way," he conceded, squaring his shoulders as his professional impassiveness settled over him. "Would you like me to take your bags to your car, Miss Sullivan?"

She blinked at the sudden change in him, then resigned to accept his detached formality. "Yes, thank you," she whispered in response, trying to hold back her tears. _'If it hurts this much with Enrique, it's going to be torture saying goodbye to Lex.'_ She thought as the servant took her bags from her and entered the hall.

"Where is Lex, Enrique? I won't just leave without telling him goodbye."

The man's stride had faltered slightly before coming to a stop. _'Yes, she would want to see him one last time._' he thought to himself. "He is in his office," he replied over his shoulder, not wishing to look at her directly.

XxXxX

"Do you need something?" Lex asked without raising his head from his papers.

"I was hoping that we could talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," he stated, looking up to meet her gaze with steely eyes. "I told you how I felt, and you didn't want to hear it. It'll be business as usual between us, Chloe, no harm done."

"No harm done? Are you lying to me or yourself?" she asked, stepping closer to the desk. "I refuse to believe that..."

"You can refuse to believe all you want, Chloe." He interrupted. "You can leave and break our agreement too, if that's what you want. Or you can stay and rummage through my entire mansion in search of old letters and useless items from my past," he paused, realizing that he was beginning to shout. "But I should warn you that the decision you make right now will effect you for the rest of your life."

"Is that a threat, Lex?" she asked with some incredulousness. "Are you suggesting that something will happen to me if I walk out that door right now?!"

"I'm saying something worse could happen if you stay." He got up and walked around the desk to stop close to her, and leaned closer still to whisper in her ear. "Are you willing to risk that, Chloe?"

Chills ran down her spine at his breath on her neck, his whispered words, the huskiness of his voice. She turned to confront him further only to catch him leaving the room.

"Lex!" she called after him, moving to catch him in the hall. "Lex, wait just a minute!"

"Not now, Chloe," he called back over his shoulder. "I have a two o'clock meeting to attend to." Reaching a private side office, he turned to face Chloe once more. "Ah, and just for the record, I appreciate you sleeping with me last night, though next time a blanket would be more than enough to keep me warm." He smirked at her as he closed the door in her face.

"You son of a bitch!" she yelled, pushing the door open before it closed all the way. "You are _'not' _getting out of this conversation that easily!"

Without warning Lex snaked his arm around her waist as soon as she cleared the open door. Pulling her backwards, he half turned her in his arms and stepped forward until she was backed against the wall. With precise movements he leaned towards her, keeping his body mere inches from touching hers.

"You're the one who is packed and ready to leave, Chloe." He reached his hand up to gently caress the side of her face, brushing a wayward lock of hair from her eyes. "But I'm willing to let you go." Dropping his hand from her face and backing away from her. "Our contract is officially null and void as of right now." He crossed the small room to lounge on the leather sofa. "Do yourself a favor and go back to Gotham. Go back to your job, your friends, and don't ever come to me again."

"Fine, Lex. If that's the way you want it," she replied bitterly to hide the hurt in her voice. "I'll even make it easier for you. Once I walk out that front door, you don't ever have to worry about me so much as 'think' of you ever again."

"Would you be willing to put that in writing?" he smirked across the room at her.

"Fuck you!"

She stormed from the small office, slammed the door behind her, and briskly walked down the hall towards the front door. She didn't quite make it outside before her tears began falling down her face, but she was past anyone who would've seen them and once she got into her car it didn't matter. She peeled the rental in the driveway, making the tires kick up stones and dust, giving her an added guarantee that no one saw her crying while she drove away from the mansion.

XxXxX

He laid on the couch for an indiscernible time, trying to convince himself to just let her go. She didn't want him, at least not enough to compromise himself and go after her. Her seeming shows of affection and concern were based on a friendship that she felt obligated to partake in more so than wanted. Her attraction to him, though obvious in his eyes, wasn't enough to disregard the Luthor name and try to make any semblance of a relationship. In fact, as far as Lex was concerned, it was the possibility of a relationship that had her packed and running for the door. He briefly wondered if it was his name or him personally she didn't want to commit to.

_'Let her go,'_ he thought with finality. He didn't need her double standards. He didn't want her if she only gave a part of herself to him. It wouldn't work between them anyway. She was too head strong, too ambitious, to independent and self sufficient. She didn't need him for anything.

Then why did he feel as though his life was draining from his body, knowing she was getting further and further out of his reach while he sat and did nothing?

_'Because I love her,'_ he answered his own hypothetical question.

With his mind made up, he rose from the sofa, straightened his shirt, and left the small office. Reaching the front hall, he removed a set of keys from the hook and went into the den to retrieve his wallet.

"Are you going after her, sir?"

Lex straightened his back and turned to face his inquisitor while slipping his wallet into the pocket of his slacks.

"Since when do you ask me of my intentions, Enrique?"

"Forgive me. I was merely curious."

Lex regarded the older man thoughtfully before answering. "I have no intention of going after her, if that quells your curiosity. Though now I'm curious as to why you would question me in the first place."

After a moment of consideration, Enrique gave his own reply. "I am sure you are aware that Miss Sullivan had heard our conversation earlier this morning, giving her the assumption that it would be impossible for her to amend her rash decision of last evening. I had naturally assumed you would consider this as her reason for leaving and wish to correct her misunderstanding."

"Why are you pushing her on me?" he asked heatedly, advancing on his man servant. "What the hell is it about her that makes you insubordinate to me after all these years?" he stopped two feet before his servant. "Tell me why I shouldn't fire you right now for daring to question me!"

Enrique held his ground. His shoulders squared proudly, his chin raised but not arrogantly so, and he met Lex's gaze with surety. "Because I know that she would have stayed if there had been the slightest reason presented to her."

Lex narrowed his eyes almost into slits. "There was nothing slight about what I offered her to stay. I want to know why you'd put your job on the line for her. Or do you honestly doubt that I would terminate your service?"

"I have no doubt that you would, sir. I also have no doubt that there has been a mistake made this morning, and it is up to you to correct it."

"See?" Lex chuckled. "That's where you're wrong, Enrique. There were no mistakes made this morning, things played out exactly as they should." He turned towards the hall and headed for the door.

"That is not how you felt when she was nestled by your side." He dared to counter.

"She is **NOT **by my side!" he shouted angrily, spinning around to face the man who opposed him. "Nor will she ever be!" he took a deep calming breath to control his emotions. After a moment he spoke, his voice was controlled and precise. "I suggest you return to your assigned duties, Enrique, and _'never' _mention her to me again if you wish to remain under my employment."

XxXxX

Lex was still fuming as he drove down the road towards town. He couldn't believe how insubordinate Enrique had become in the past few days. How dare he behave so defiantly!

Realizing he was traveling at a hundred and twenty miles per hour, Lex eased his foot off the gas pedal and slipped the car into a lower gear. As he drove past a small wooded area, the glint of metal reflecting the sun caught him in the eye. Checking the rear view mirror, he saw the rental car that Chloe had been driving in the ditch with the front end smashed into a tree.

Lex hit the brakes hard, causing his car to fishtail with the unexpected command to stop. Throwing it into reverse, he burned rubber backwards to the crash site. A chill went down his spine when he saw Chloe's unconscious form behind the steering wheel.

He couldn't get the driver's side door open, so he rushed around to the passenger side and climbed in. Checking first for a pulse, relief blinded him of all other thought except that she was alive. He removed the seatbelt and gently checked for any obvious injuries. Finding none, he gently placed his arm around her back, pausing when she moaned.

"Chloe?"

XxXxX

She opened her eyes to find him staring down at her, his blue eyes filled with concern. She smiled warmly and snaked her hand around the back of his neck to pull him closer. Assaulting his mouth with hers hungrily, she licked at his bottom lip, then nipped at it gently, chuckling softly when his breath caught in his throat. She cupped both sides of his face with her palms, pulling him to her as she positioned herself on his lap to meet his lips demandingly.

"Chloe," he muttered against her mouth, trying to pull back for a breath.

"Don't leave me like this, Lex," she whispered, her breathing rushed and uneven. "Don't think," she added, gently pulling on his bottom lip with her teeth. "Just feel." Her hand slid between their bodies, undoing his pants button with a flick of her fingers, then unzipped the zipper.

He shifted his hips under her weight, giving her more room to work her hand between his skin and pants. He clasped her ass fully with his hands, his fingers digging into the soft flesh under her skirt when she fully took hold of him.

"Chloe," he breathed again against the onslaught of her mouth. "Move the seat back."

She groaned in protest, but knew it was a good idea. With her left hand she reached behind her, between his legs, and found the handle to release the seat. He pushed the seat back as far as it would go and stretched his legs, giving them a little more room.

Chloe's hand returned to him to start working on the buttons of his shirt, reveling in the feel of his skin under both her hands.

He ran his hand along her skin from her ass to her thigh, then slipped his fingers between her thighs. She cried out and threw her head back at the feel of his probing fingers. Her hips grinded against his hand, moaning incoherently. Her grip on him tightened, her hand moving in rhythm with her hips. He grabbed her by the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair to pull her face down to seize her mouth.

His tongue delved deeply, licking, searching, probing the inside of her mouth in a heated frenzy. She met his onslaught with heated vigor. "Lex," she moaned, his name indiscernible within the sound from her throat. But he knew it was his name, recognized it from so many times before.

He took her thighs firmly in his grasp to position her better over his hips. She moaned with pleasure as she found herself neatly placed above him. Her head tipped to the side, her lips and teeth played with the skin at his neck, her tongue licked along the vein as she eased down on him.

She breathed in slowly and deeply at the feel of him filling her. His hands gripped her hips, trying to urge her to take it slow, but she was so hot and ready for him that he lost the will to prolong it and gave in to the burning desire, driving her harder and faster until they were both consumed in a frenzy that had only one release.

Her outcry was joined by his guttural yell before they locked together, unmoving. Their heads were thrown back, eyes closed, and they clung to each other savagely enough to leave marks on one another. He sagged under her, closing his mouth and swallowing hard, to get the dryness from his throat. With closed eyes, she collapsed atop of him, her head rested limply at his shoulder, her breathing erratic as she licked at her own dry lips.

"Chloe," Lex addressed softly. "Chloe, come on, wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open to see him looking down at her, his blue eyes filled with concerned apprehension. She smiled up at him warmly, feeling his arms cradling her body against him.

"I love you, Lex," she said, her voice sounding hoarse from a dry throat. She snaked her hand around to the back of his head to urge it down to meet her lips. Kissing him languidly, her tongue flitted over his bottom lip before she pulled back and, once again, lost consciousness.

Lex had responded to her unexpected kiss, thrilled by her admission. His blood had run cold when he had seen her car in the ditch. He had rushed to the vehicle to find her slumped over and unconscious. At that moment, he knew without a doubt, that he could never let her go.

He had checked her carefully for injuries. She had a small bruise on her forehead from the steering wheel, but otherwise seemed unharmed. After carrying her from the car, he held her close against his chest, and had tried to wake her up.

Her reaction to seeing him, though not unwelcome, had been a surprise, especially after the words they had shared before she left the mansion earlier.

"I'm taking you to the hospital." He gathered her in his arms and gently placed her in the passenger seat of his Ferrari. After making sure she was strapped in and wouldn't fall over, he noticed her left hand was clenched tight, a small spot of blood between her knuckles. Gently prying open her fingers he found the earrings he had given her. She had been holding them so tightly they had pricked the skin of her hand.

"You would never think of me again, Hmm, Chloe?"


	15. Chapter 15

Sweet Surrender – Chapter 15

(Day Nine)

Chloe slowly awoke half expecting silken sheets and Lex's warm arms wrapped around her. Instead, she became aware of beeping machinery and the smell of rubbing alcohol. Two familiar hints that she was in a hospital room.

_'Okay, whoa_,' she thought, completely disoriented for a moment. Her mind raced to make sense of her situation. _'I was with Lex_,' she reasoned silently, going backwards in her mind to what she remembered last. _'No, that couldn't have happened_,' she rationalized when sexual images with Lex flashed through her mind. She took a long, deep breath, letting her mind relive the events that led up to her being in a hospital.

'_I was driving to dad's to say good-bye. I was crying over how I left things with Lex_.' Mentally making a checklist on her fingers. _'I needed a tissue to blow my nose and... oh damn_.' She had leaned over the center consul to get a tissue from her purse, but the strap had lodged itself under the passenger seat. With one hand on the wheel, she had half leaned on her side with tear filled eyes barely keeping the road in sight over the dashboard. She had been trying to pull the strap free when the most unlikely thing imaginable had happened.

She sneezed.

She had banged her cheek on the gear shift, the car swerved in response to her sudden jolt. She had jerked herself back into an upright position, only to have another sneeze follow the first one in rapid succession. She had hit the brakes in an attempt to regain control of the car, but had swerved closer to the shoulder than she had thought and veered off the road. The last thing Chloe remembered was a large tree standing dead center of where her car was going off into a ditch.

_'I fucking sneezed!_'

She let her head fall back into her pillow as the events leading to her crash came more easily to her. _'How am I going to explain this one?_' she sighed, closing her eyes with self-embarrassment. _'I crashed because I was crying, and sneezed while sniffling about it!_'

Chloe cautiously moved her left arm, raising it slightly before pain stabbed her in the shoulder. Letting it rest softly back to her side. She cautiously wiggled her toes, then shifted her feet. A gasp of pain escaped her lips from the sprain on her right ankle. Her right ribs likewise gave her pause to make any sudden moves, and she knew without looking that her right cheek on her face was bruised pretty badly. Add all that to the lump on her forehead and she counted herself lucky. She just hoped there wasn't more damage to her body that she didn't know about yet.

_'But..._' she mused, her thoughts returning to Lex. _'How could we have had sex when I'm so battered and bruised?_' After another minute of thought her throat constricted, her eyes becoming slightly misty. _'It was just a dream. Wishful thinking. One big fat hallucination caused by a head concussion!_' A sob escaped her throat as reality sunk in.

She didn't care how irrational it would have been for him to show up like she had imagined, if only the two of them had finally given in to what they both wanted for so long. She suppressed her disappointment with a strong cleansing breath.

_'At least I'll always have something from him_.' Thinking of the earrings he had given her. She raised her hand to look at the prick marks in her palm, touching them gently with her other hand. _'Where are the earrings?_' she thought frantically, glancing around her body on the bed.

"Nurse!" she bellowed aloud, repeating the summons when no one responded immediately.

"Decided to join us this morning after all?" the nurse asked with a smile as she pushed open the door and entered. "How do you feel?"

_'How the hell do you think I feel? I was in a freakin car accident!_' Chloe thought distastefully, but put on a feigned smile to humor the nurse anyway. "I had a pair of earrings in my hand when I crashed, I'd like them back."

"You didn't have anything with you when you came in," the nurse answered politely, though matter of factly.

"I had them in my hand just before I crashed!" Chloe insisted, raising her hand up for the nurse to see. "I still have the marks from them in my palm!"

"I'm sorry," she said, shrugging sympathetically. "Mr. Luthor didn't leave any personal effects with you when he brought you in."

"Luthor?" Chloe asked, becoming confused in her head again. "Lex Luthor brought me to the hospital?"

"Yes," the nurse replied uneasily at Chloe's reaction. "He also made arrangements for your medical expenses to be billed to LuthorCorp," she added, hoping the information would sooth any misgivings towards the handsome billionaire. "And, he made sure you were placed in a private room."

"Then he '_was_' at the crash!" she mumbled lowly more to herself, only half listening to what the nurse was saying. "I '_didn't_' imagine it!" Chloe raised her bewildered eyes towards the nurse. "Is he still here?"

"I believe he left once you were made comfortable," she replied with seeming regret. "I'm sure he'll come back during visiting hours," she offered in an attempt to cheer Chloe up. "You can ask him about your belongings, then. In the meantime, try to get some rest, and I'll bring in some breakfast for you."

"Yea, sure," Chloe replied in auto-response mode. Her mind numb with confusion that Lex had been at the crashed car with her.

"Miss Sullivan?" a masculine voice announced from the doorway. Chloe glanced in the direction of the voice, though not with her full attention. "I'm Officer Calvin," he introduced himself as he stepped into the room. "I was hoping that this would be a good time to take your statement concerning your accident?"

"Uhm, ...yea, sure," Chloe replied, pushing her confused thoughts aside for the time being. "No one else was involved, why would I have to give a statement?"

"It's for the insurance agency for the car rental company," he explained. "You did take the full coverage option, didn't you?"

"Oh right, the car insurance," Chloe voiced, giving herself a mental 'duh' for not thinking of that herself. "Yes, I had the full coverage plan."

"Very good," the officer nodded, jotting down the information in his little notepad. "Could you tell me what exactly happened, Miss Sullivan?"

"Do I know you?" she asked, looking at the guy more closely. "You look familiar."

"Sean Calvin was my older brother," he answered evenly.

"Oh," Chloe responded dumbly, mentally kicking herself for not recognizing the last name. "I'm sorry," she offered belatedly.

"You already said that at the funeral," he informed her evenly. "Could I just have your statement, please?"

"Uhm, sure," she answered, taken aback by his cold attitude towards her. "There's not much to tell really. Something ran out in front of the car on the road. I swerved to avoid hitting it, ran into a ditch, and hit a tree."

"Was anyone with you at the scene of the crash?" he asked, jotting down some notes on the notepad.

"No, I was alone."

"You're sure?" he insisted, pausing from his writing to give her a skeptical gaze.

"I think I would know if I was alone or not!" she replied, getting agitated. "What are you insinuating?"

"Are all of your injuries sustained from the accident, or did someone give them to you?" he asked, tapping his pen to his cheek in reference to Chloe's bruises. "He would've been left handed. Maybe you got away, only to end up in a ditch on the side of the road?" he speculated further.

A pit formed in her stomach as she realized that he was trying to blame Lex for her accident, insinuating that Lex had caused her bruises. "I just told you what happened," she said evenly in a cold tone. "That's all I have to say."

"I didn't mean to upset you," he stated, though shifted uneasily under Chloe's glare. "I'm only doing my job." He turned to leave just as Lex appeared at the door. "Mr. Luthor," Officer Calvin addressed snidely, and stepped around him to leave the room.

"What was that about?" Lex asked cordially, watching as her baleful glare smoothed to a more pleasant expression as she looked at him.

She stared at Lex for a moment, her feelings for him flooding to the surface. People were so ready to blame him for anything that went wrong. They always had and it angered her to know that some things hadn't changed at all over the years. Lex wasn't half the deviant he had been when his father was alive, even less when he gave up the political career. Realizing she had been staring at him for almost a full minute, she shifted in her bed and smiled at him.

"He wanted a statement about the accident for the car rental company," she replied airily and changed the subject. "I heard you were the one who found me," she half stated, hoping he had followed her to stop her from leaving.

"That's why I'm here, actually," he stated, moving further into the room to stand by the side of the bed. "I had a team go over the crash scene. They took pictures of the car and my attorneys are putting together a law suit on your behalf."

"A law suit?" she repeated, blinking with confusion. "I ran off the road, there's no one to sue."

"Chloe," he said her name with urgency, leaning even closer to her. "The airbags never deployed!" He suddenly became aware of how close he was leaning and stepped back. "In fact none of the safety features in that car had deployed properly," he continued to explain in a more controlled tone. "You could have been killed because of their negligence."

_'I get hurt and all he can think about is money_,' she thought to herself as she listened to what he was telling her.

*Maybe it's his way of showing you how much you scared him.* Her intuitive voice whispered. *You just heard the emotion in his voice and you know it.*

"Chloe?" he addressed, his brows furrowed together at the annoyed expression that had creased her brow.

She snapped out of her thought, visibly smoothing her features. "I... I hadn't realized that the airbag didn't go off," she replied, using that piece of information as a reason for her reverie. "I don't remember much of anything except a large tree looming in front of me," she chuckled uncomfortably. She wanted to ask him if they had shared anything remotely intimate, or if the entire memory was just a delusion.

He noticed a light shade of crimson flood her un-bruised cheek as she looked up at him. Suspecting she remembered more than the crash itself, he wondered if her kissing him had been a mistake in her mind now that she was safe.

"Chloe," he started in a soft tone, his curiosity over-ruling his intellect to keep his mouth shut. "When I found you, you came to for a brief moment. You spoke to me when I was pulling you from the wreck." He watched her very closely, looking for the slightest sign of recognition. "Do you remember what you said?"

_'This is it_,' she thought. _'He's giving me a second chance_.' Her heart started beating rapidly with uncertainty. _'What if nothing I remember really happened? What if..._'

*Dammit, Chloe! Just fucking tell him!* her inner voice screamed.

"I remember...," she answered slowly, "… something. But it doesn't make any sense."

He saw the hopeful expression in her eyes, then panic and uncertainty, then honesty as she met his eyes. His own pulse was racing, he wanted to rip the words from her throat to make her say them faster. He wanted to hear her say those words once more, and mean them.

"Just tell me what you remember," he directed in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

She decided to grab the bull by the horns. He was actually holding his breath waiting for her answer. "This is going to sound crazy, but, I remember us having sex in the car," she answered, trying to make it sound casual.

That was far from what he had expected to hear, and his shocked expression, although fleeting, said as much. "Chloe," he voiced, not sure what to say to that. "I... I'm...," he stammered, his mind raced for something intellectual to say and came up empty. "I don't know what to say," he admitted.

"Obviously," she stated, biting her lip to keep the tears at bay. She knew it was irrational that anything like that had occurred, but there was a part of her that wished so deeply that it had. Judging by Lex's reaction, not only didn't anything sexual happen, but there wasn't a chance in hell that it ever would.

"I guess I should pat myself on the back," she joked to hide her hurt. "It's not everyday that someone can render Lex Luthor completely speechless."

"Is that honestly what was going through your mind when I found you?"

"Well, the doctor said that I bumped my head pretty damn hard, so...," she shrugged, trying to keep up her bravado. "I guess so."

"What if we had, Chloe, would it really change anything between us?"

It was her turn to be caught off guard. His expression had become impassive, his tone neutral. She wanted to scream, yes. She wanted to hold him and take away the hurt she had caused. She wanted him to wrap his arms around her and tell her it was okay. She wanted a second chance.

But he stood before her with his hands in his coat pockets, his back rigid, his head held high as he looked down at her with expressionless eyes. She bowed her head and dropped her gaze to her lap. _'He hadn't meant it as a question_,' she reasoned to herself. _'He was making a point. Nothing will ever change his feelings for me. The damage is done_.'

Lex silently stepped up close to the side of the bed and gently wiped away the tear that was slowly sliding over Chloe's uninjured cheek. A tear that she hadn't even realized was there. She raised her head at his touch, becoming aware of her water filled eyes.

"Maybe it could," he answered for her softly, wiping away the next tear that spilled over when she blinked. He dropped his hand from her face and stepped back, turning to quietly leave the room.

"Lex," she called after him. He stopped and turned around to look at her expectantly.

"Here we go," the nurse sing-sang, returning with a food tray. "It's straight from the kitchen and piping hot," she beamed, putting it on the tray table, slid it over to the bed and adeptly adjusted it over Chloe's lap for her to be able to eat. "If there's anything else you need, just push the button at the side of your bed." The nurse straightened Chloe's blankets quickly then turned to leave. "Good morning, Mr. Luthor!" she greeted cheerfully as she headed for the door.

He returned the greeting politely then returned his gaze to Chloe. Whatever she had been about to say had been interrupted, her eyes now showed an expression of feigned dread.

"Don't leave me here with that woman, please," she implored him.

He wanted that moment back again. He wanted to know what she was going to say. The intensity of her gaze had been luring and he had felt himself being drawn in. But the nurse had broken that moment so he chuckled lightly in response to her humor. "I'll stop by later to see how you're fairing."

"Lex," she called again when he started to leave. "I don't want you leave," she added when she had his full attention.

"I'm not the one who was heading for the airport, Chloe," he replied evenly. She took a sharp intake of breath and swallowed hard at the reminder. The dejected expression that washed over her features as she looked away from him pulled at his heart. He knew she regretted her decision to leave, he hadn't meant to rub it in her face.

"I'll have Enrique brew some coffee for you," he said as an amendment. "We both know how awful hospital coffee is."

She nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Thank you," she replied demurely.

He wanted to go to her, tell her that everything would be okay, and kiss her. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. Everything wasn't okay. She regretted leaving, but she had hurt him, and that was something he hadn't ever thought would happen. Not knowing what else to say or do, he quietly turned and left Chloe to her breakfast.

XxXxX

(Day Nine Con't)

Lex returned to the manor feeling at odds with himself concerning Chloe. No matter what he had tried to think about during the drive home, his thoughts had always segued back to the vivacious blonde whose bright eyes looked back at him pleadingly for his forgiveness. He reached Luthor Mansion with an empty feeling weighing heavily in his heart.

He strode down the hall towards the study in his normal swagger. Normal that was to those who didn't know him. But Enrique had noticed otherwise with a practiced eye as his employer passed by the double doors of the office. The seasoned butler had noticed immediately how his shoulders weren't held as straight, how his chin wasn't held as high, and how even his footfalls seemed slightly sluggish.

_'What had gone wrong this time?_' he mused to himself, dropping the polishing rag to the desk to join Lex in the hall. Lex had called to inform his head of staff of Chloe's accident, that she had been found unconscious with some bruises, and that he had taken her to the hospital. _'Unless her injuries were more severe than Lex had led me to believe_,' Enrique thought, a twinge of concern for Chloe touching his heart.

"Mr. Luthor?" Enrique addressed from behind. Lex stopped and turned to face his servant, a deep breath escaping his chest visibly. Enrique paused, noticing Lex's shoulders straighten, his chin rise, and his eyes grow defensive. "How is Miss Sullivan, if I may ask?"

"Her injuries are minor," he answered, his voice sounding tired. "She'll be back on her feet in a couple of days." He turned to continue on his way, his stance relaxing as he did so.

"Is there anything I can do?" Enrique offered.

"Coffee," Lex replied absently over his shoulder, not pausing his pace. "I told Chloe you'd make her some coffee," he elaborated, passing the stairs at that point. He stopped suddenly, backed up a couple steps, then turned to head up the staircase.

"May I take it to her directly, Sir?" the servant asked, liking the opportunity to visit Chloe himself. "Or would you prefer that I simply send someone?"

"Cater to Miss Sullivan however you see fit, Enrique," he replied, tiredly climbing the stairs to his room. "I don't wish to be bothered today, by anyone."

"Yes, Sir," he nodded, then headed towards the kitchen to start his preparations to visit Chloe at the hospital.

XxXxX

The morphine drip in Chloe's IV made her feel drowsy though not enough to actually fall asleep. The doctors wanted her to remain relaxed and stay in her bed. After the third time she had helped herself to the supply closet next to her room, the nurse had threatened to tie her down if she wandered one more time.

_'Guess it runs in the family_,' she thought fondly of her dad. He had told her how he had refused to sit put while in the hospital for his heart attack.

Gabe and Nancy had come to visit not long after Lex had left that morning. She smiled warmly as she looked around. Her room now had the ambiance of a gift shop with all the flowers and stuffed animals wishing her well in comical ways.

She had told her father about the lawsuit Lex wanted her to follow through with and he had agreed whole heartedly, heatedly shouting about the incompetence of the car rental company.

"How can they put a car like that on the road and still be able to sleep at night?" Gabe had ranted. "I agree with Lex, you should sue their asses off just for the principle of the thing!"

Witnessing her dad react in such a way reminded Chloe of Lex's emotional moment earlier that morning. She knew her dad was speaking out of fear and love that his little girl had gotten hurt more than she should have. So what was Lex's reason?

_'Was Lex scared on my behalf too?_' she wondered, fleetingly.

*Does the word, duh, mean anything to you?* came that sarcastic little voice in the back of her mind.

Nancy had offered to help Chloe with her physical therapy, to get her body back to normal as it healed from its sprains and bruises. Chloe had to give her credit, she had phrased her offer in such a way that it hadn't sounded like help at all, but more like a workout buddy.

Chloe had accepted the offer with a smile. Nancy definitely had been around her father long enough to learn how to get around the Sullivan 'I can do it myself' ego. Either that or she was just that good at her job, which was probably what her dad had seen in the woman from the beginning.

Just before leaving, they had both promised to check in on her after they got done work, to 'make sure she was behaving herself', Gabe had joked and placed a fatherly kiss on the top of her head. After they had left, a fond smile remained at the corner of her mouth as Chloe lay back and flicked through channels on the cable ready TV.

XxXxX

Chloe had somehow gotten sucked into watching re-run central of old game shows that were filmed in the seventies. She was absolutely amazed at the hairstyles and clothes people wore back then! And the phrases they came up with as answers had her in hysterics with laughter. Then, during a commercial break, Chloe heard a commotion in the hall just outside of her room and turned down the volume on the TV to listen.

"I'm sorry," the dreadfully cheery nurse was half shouting. "You can't come in here with all of this!"

'_Cool_,' Chloe thought, straining her ears to hear more. _'Miss Cheery is upset about something!_'

"I wish to know the room number of Chloe Sullivan," Enrique's familiar voice countered with persistence.

"Oh no," Chloe whispered and slumped down in her bed, raising the blankets as if to hide. 'Lex what did you do this time?'

The normal hospital sounds that usually drifted in from the hallway had ceased, only the hushed voices of the nurse and the butler whispered in the air. Chloe had no idea what the man had said to the nurse, but the next thing she knew her door had been opened wide by the chagrinned nurse, letting an entourage pour into the room while Chloe held the blanket up to her chin.

"Good morning, Miss Sullivan," Enrique greeted casually, carrying a bouquet of flowers so large that it hid half his upper body. Placing it on the floor in the corner by the window, he turned and directed the four people who carried trays of food and beverages behind him.

_'Coffee!_' Chloe thought with shock. _'He said coffee, not an entire banquet!_' "Uhm...." she voiced aloud. "Enrique, what is all this? What's going on?"

"This?" Enrique repeated simply, turning his palm up towards the trays questioningly. "Why, this is breakfast, Miss Sullivan," he replied as though speaking to a daft person.

"I was expecting coffee," she voiced perplexed, overwhelmed by all the attention.

"Yes, well, one can't possibly have coffee without a proper breakfast as well, wouldn't you agree?" Enrique asked, a glint of mischievousness in his eye as he covertly winked at her.

Raising her brows high on her forehead, her eyes filled with amusement, she laughed. "I guess so!" she agreed, then became somber. "Lex doesn't know you did this, does he?"

Enrique stood tall, his chin held high arrogantly, and looked down his nose at Chloe. "His exact words were, and I quote, 'Cater to Miss Sullivan however you see fit, Enrique.' Unquote," he finished, relaxing his haughty stance.

Chloe couldn't help laughing. "Well in that case, let's start with some coffee, shall we?"

"Absolutely, Miss Sullivan."

Enrique had dismissed the help and closed the hospital room door, handing the nurse who looked in from the hall a tray of hotcakes as he smugly closed the door in her face.

XxXxX

"You have definitely outdone yourself, Enrique!" Chloe complimented, wiping her mouth of some syrup from her last bite. "Lex is going to be so pissed when he finds out about this."

"I think you greatly underestimate what _'pisses Lex off'_, as you so eloquently phrase it, and what does not," he replied casually, taking her food tray to place it aside, then seated himself in the chair by her bedside.

"I'd like to speak to you about Lex, Chloe," he said softly, "I know he didn't explain anything to you, as is his nature to not explain himself in any regard. However, there is a misconception in the air between you that I feel needs addressing."

"I should have seen this coming," Chloe mumbled, her happy expression faltering.

"This is not solely on your shoulders, Chloe," he soothed, touching the back of her hand comfortingly. "Both of you are so willing to see the wrong that neither of you see the right of this situation."

"He's not coming back, is he Enrique?" she asked in a low voice, her gaze dropping to her lap.

Enrique leaned back in the chair and quietly looked at her for a moment. _'How alike they are_,' he mused silently. _'So ready to assume the worst_.'

"I can't guess at Lex's intentions," he answered. "But I can't sit back and do nothing either, my conscience won't allow it," he continued. "I had always admired your spirit and honesty, and that admiration has grown considerably these past few days."

"But?" Chloe asked, preparing herself for the inevitable ridicule she suspected was coming next. Within the past two minutes Chloe had convinced herself that Lex had sent Enrique to lighten the blow of him wanting her out of his life.

In her mind she had misunderstood Lex's comment that maybe things could be different between them if they had shared intimacies. When he had told her that earlier that morning, she had been filled with hope that he wanted to try and work all this out. But now, she understood the regret she had seen in his eyes was for something that would never be.

In retrospect, Chloe was grateful that the nurse had barged in when she had. She had saved Chloe from making a fool of herself by telling Lex that she loved him.

"But, you are being as stubborn as he is," Enrique stated evenly. "I have tried to make you see more clearly what Lex wanted from you, but you chose to ignore my intervention by leaving anyway."

"Then you obviously missed the conversation in the study," Chloe replied almost snidely. "He was the one who broke our contract. He was the one who told me not to come back, and he was the one who had nothing to say otherwise."

"He also does not want you to leave," he stressed, keeping his voice to a moderate level. "Lex had put his trust in you, Chloe. He thought that he could count on you to understand his intentions. When you didn't, he merely reacted the only way he knows how, by pushing you away.

"You knew about his obsession for me all along, haven't you?" she inquired, dawning coming to her muddled brain.

Enrique nodded. "Yes, I knew," he admitted, then looked at her directly, "There isn't much about Lex that I don't know, Chloe. That is why I'm asking you to reconsider. If you want to share your life with him, then return to him, and stay."

"What makes you think that I know how to do that any more than he does?"

"I suspect that he will come around sooner than you expect, if you return to him now."

"Do you think tomorrow would be too late?" she half joked, raising her IV tube as emphasis of her hospitalization.

His first reaction was to simply stare at her with a quirked brow. How could she make light of this situation? Then he noticed the uncertainty in her eyes behind her feigned smile.

"What if you're wrong? What if he doesn't want me back?" she asked worriedly.

"You forget, Miss Sullivan, I am fairly adept at hiding things at Luthor Manor," he stated, returning her humor. "If need be, by the time he discovers your presence, he wouldn't dare throw you out." He felt more at ease when she smiled a genuine smile.


	16. Chapter 16

Sweet Surrender – Chapter 16

"Chloe Sullivan, what have you done this time?" Gina Ross asked with feigned accusation upon entering the hospital room.

"Gina! Pete!" Chloe smiled, seeing Pete come in behind his wife.

"I told you it had to be Chloe," Pete stated to Gina, nudging his wife for emphasis.

"What's going on?" Chloe asked, becoming concerned.

Gina recognized Enrique and nodded towards him in greeting. "Besides almost being strip searched when we asked what room you were in? You tell us what's going on!" she laughed, gesturing towards the butler.

"Oh, that," Chloe chuckled lightly. "Uhm... Lex sent some coffee so I wouldn't have to drink the crap they serve here," she explained with a shrug. "And you know Lex, he can never do anything in a small way... so..." She shrugged again.

"Coffee, huh?" Pete asked, lifting a lid from a tray stacked pancakes on the table. "Looks like a full course meal!" He looked up to see Enrique's disapproving grimace. "I'm jealous!" he said to the other man as an explanation. Glancing over his shoulder towards Chloe he added, "What do you have to do to get service like this from Luthor, anyway?"

"Pete!" Gina reprimanded between clenched teeth.

Pete glanced at his wife, then to Chloe, who was giving him her infamous 'I'm not telling you' expression. Suddenly Pete's face changed with realization. "Never mind, I don't want to know."

"Anyway," Gina continued, moving closer to the bed, giving Chloe her undivided attention. "We came over as soon as we could after hearing from Lex. How are you? What happened?" she asked in a rush. "And don't leave out one single detail!"

Chloe proceeded to re-tell her story about the accident, leaving out more than one detail to safe face for both herself and Lex.

XxXxX

(Day Ten)

"I appreciate your help, Enrique," Chloe was saying as he took her light duffel bag from the empty hospital bed. "But, I should call Gina before just showing up at their doorstep."

A nurse's aid gently took Chloe by the arm to ease her stiff and sore body into the wheel chair to escort her to the main exit.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more, Chloe, but judging by the mood he was in this morning..." Enrique shook his head with regret. "I honestly wouldn't advise for you to simply show up at the mansion."

Chloe nodded with understanding, trying to get her aching body to rest in the uncomfortable chair. "It's ok. I didn't expect him to come running to take me back. In fact, that would have scared me to death!"

Enrique shouldered the duffel bag and motioned for the aid to let him escort Chloe down the hall. The young woman stepped back with a pleasant smile. "She's all yours," she quipped lightly.

Chloe tilted her head back to look at the man upside down. "Are you sure you don't mind driving me to Pete and Gina's?"

"Not at all. It's the least I could do."

XxXxX

Chloe had called Gina before she was wheeled from her room only to get yelled at for even thinking that she needed to ask if she could stay with them. After convincing her friend that she didn't need her to come and pick her up at the hospital Enrique slowly made their way to the front entrance.

Chloe was doing her best to keep her emotions in check. Not only had Lex not come back to visit her but he hadn't given Enrique any kind of reaction when he was told of Chloe's infamous breakfast at the hospital, compliments of 'Mr. Luthor'.

According to Enrique, Lex had awoken that morning on the proverbial wrong side of the bed, going so far as to fire William for simply being in his way in the hallway.

_'Maybe I should have told him_,' Chloe mused to herself, wondering if, had she confessed to loving him, he might be here with her instead of firing half his staff. They were approaching the glass sliding doors, Chloe, being lower in her sitting position, could see outside without the writing on the glass to intrude on her vision.

She had gasped so loud with surprise that Enrique stopped the wheelchair thinking she was in pain. "Chloe?"

The servant looked upon Chloe with concern, ready to snap his authoritative fingers at the closest person wearing a doctor's coat, when he realized that her eyes were fixated on something outside the glass doors. Bending slightly to the side he saw immediately what had Chloe's undivided attention. Lex was standing on the other side of the doors looking directly at Chloe.

XxXxX

Lex had awoken that morning knowing that Chloe would be discharged from the hospital, and allowed a sour mood to overcome him. He hadn't slept much at all the night before, arguing with himself about not going to see her when he had told her he would. But visiting hours had come and gone, and all he could do was to sit by the fire unmoving.

His head of staff had informed him of the scene he had caused by delivering a full course breakfast to Chloe, and that all who were present thought Lex was the one who had ordered it. Of course they would think that. Enrique was his butler and no one knew that the man had a mind of his own every once in a while. But that hadn't bothered Lex in the least. Let the town think he had bestowed Chloe with a little grandeur.

What had bothered him was that he couldn't think reasonably. He would picture her in his mind and all he could think to say was some sentiment or another, none of which would ever come from his lips again. He had already told her all those things and all he got for it was her back as she walked out on him.

But he had told her that he would check in on her, and she had looked at him with expectant eyes and a smile. So, he had reminded her that she was on her way out of town, to hurt her, but, he hadn't meant to hurt her with such harsh words. The expression on her face had seized his heart like a vice. What could he possibly say to her knowing what he wanted to say and what he felt like saying would only make things worse.

Lex had spent the better part of the night warring with these mixed thoughts and emotions. By sunrise, he still hadn't come to a conclusion within himself, and so he went about his day in the most sour of moods that he had had in a very long time. All because of Chloe.

He had been returning to his study after retrieving some paperwork from his office when William had literally bumped into him in the hall after coming around the corner. Lex had found it interesting how the entire staff in the mansion had faded into the woodwork to avoid him, except for this oaf. Lex had fired him without even blinking an eye, ignored the man's pale, flabbergasted expression, and had continued towards his study.

He had buried himself in his work, stopping only once to stretch his back and stiff neck. His eyes had waywardly landed on the clock, showing him it was ten fifteen in the morning. _'Chloe should be released about now_,' he thought absently, then checked himself. _'I'm up to my eyeballs in paperwork and I still can't 'not' think of her!_'

He opened his top desk drawer, nestled his thumb and forefinger between two pens and picked up the pair of sapphire earrings that he had practically pried from Chloe's clenched fist while she was unconscious. Tilting his hand he let the gems drop into his palm, stared at them for a moment, then clenched them tightly in a fist.

With sudden movement he pushed away from the desk, strode through the manor with purposeful strides, grabbed a set of keys from the hook in the vestibule, and got into the car that had been parked outside for him. It didn't go unnoticed by Lex that it was the Lamborghini, one of the fastest cars he owned.

He still hadn't been sure of what he was going to say to her when he pulled up and parked in front of the building, but he wanted to see her. He wanted to give her the chance to tell him something, anything, so he could let her back in again.

Leaving the keys in the ignition, he slammed the car door behind him as he briskly made his way up the steps to the front doors. Halfway up he suddenly froze, his breath catching in his throat. There she was, in front of him on the other side of the glass doors. Her eyes were wide with surprise at seeing him, then they filled with hopeful uncertainty as she slightly smiled at him.

XxXxX

Chloe knew she had been staring at him for at least a full minute. Finally snapping her mouth shut from being surprised she gave him a weak smile, not sure of why he was just standing there staring back at her. Maybe he thought she had already left, and he had come to finalize the bill?

His eyes locked with hers for so long it was starting to make her nervous. She couldn't read his expression, and from what Enrique had told her earlier about his mood, the slightest thing could set him off. She licked at her lips and dropped her gaze from his. Turning her head upwards, she was about to ask Enrique if he would still take her to Gina's when the sliding doors opened.

She turned her attention back to the doors without ever really seeing the servant behind her. The sun was positioned directly behind him, making her have to squint to see through the bright light, and even then she could only see his silhouette. He approached her with long purposeful strides, his shoulders squared with determination. Then, suddenly, he was standing in front of her and she could see him clearly as long as his body blocked the sun behind him.

"Lex," she greeted with an uncertain smile. "I thought you weren't..."

"Something unexpected came up that needed my immediate attention," he stated, cutting her off and giving Enrique a stoic glance as a warning to remain silent. "It wasn't resolved until late last night." He returned his gaze to Chloe, stepping closer. "I trust everything is taken care of? You're ready to leave?"

"Uhm, yea," she slightly stammered. "Enrique was just about to get the car," she replied, not mentioning anything about going to Gina and Pete's until he gave her some clue as to what to expect from him.

"Where were you going to stay?" he asked in a soft tone, not willing to completely give in and ask her to return to the mansion with him.

Chloe's mind raced. She couldn't read his expression. He seemed to want her to go home with him, but she wasn't sure if that was simply her own wishful thinking.

"Miss Sullivan had asked me to return her to the mansion, Sir," Enrique answered for Chloe.

Lex's eyes shifted from Chloe to Enrique then back again. "You were thinking of returning to the mansion?" he asked Chloe in a neutral tone.

"Yes," she replied softly, not letting Enrique's help go to waste. "That's where I wanted to go."

He held her gaze for a long moment, consciously keeping his face expressionless, then shifted to move behind her. "Then let's return you to the mansion," he stated, taking his servant's place behind the wheelchair. "Enrique, bring the car around for Miss Sullivan," he instructed. "I'm sure she's not up to a ride in the Lamborghini."

"Right away, Sir," Enrique replied, and stepped around them both to exit the hospital.

Lex took the chair by the handles to guide it through the doors and down the handicapped ramp. "Answer me one question, Chloe," Lex stated from behind the wheelchair while they waited for Enrique to return with the car. "Where you really planning on returning to the mansion?"

"I wanted to," she answered honestly, glancing back over her right shoulder at him.

"But you heard about my mood as of this morning and had second thoughts?" he prompted.

"Something like that," she admitted.

Lex moved to her side and stooped down to Chloe's eye level. "Where do you want to go, Chloe?" he asked, not sure of why he persisted. What if she didn't say what he wanted to hear?

"With you," she whispered, hoping this wasn't one of his games.

Lex nodded and stood to his full height once more, making sure that he stood just behind her left shoulder where she couldn't easily see him. "I wasn't coming after you the day you left," he began saying. "But I thought it would be a waste of good planning by not using the Lamborghini that was parked outside for me today."

"What do you mean?" she asked, trying to turn to see him, but her bruised shoulder only let her twist so far. "What's the car got to do with anything?"

"Simple. It's one of the fastest cars in my garage."

"Oh," she replied, letting everything sink into her muddled brain. "Are you saying that you broke the sound barrier to get here before I left?"

"Something like that."

A warm smile creased her lips. _'He came for me! He admitted it!_' she thought with inner jubilation.

Suddenly he was by her side at eye level again. "Here," he said, holding out his hand with the earrings between his fingers. "You're going to need these for the next banquet I'm dragging you to. I hope you're healed enough by next Tuesday."

"Does that mean you're extending our contract?" she asked with hopeful uncertainty.

"Absolutely," he answered, his brows creased with sincerity. "Except there's one added condition to the original contract."

"What's that?" she asked with bated breath, not sure if she wanted to know or not.

"You have some serious ass kissing to do." He smirked.

Chloe's expression became very somber as she looked at him. "Are you going to make this hard for me, Lex?"

"Not intentionally, though it's not going to be easy for either of us. But I'm trying, Chloe," he replied softly in a serious tone.

"Lex," she stated after a moment, meeting his eyes with hers. He slightly quirked his brows in response, waiting for her to continue. "I love you."

"You better," he stated with a smirk. "I've never given my heart to the same woman twice before."

She reached her hand out to cup the side of his face, caressing his cheek with her thumb before leaning slightly towards him. He copied her movement and tenderly met her lips with his.

Enrique pulled up to the curb with the luxury car and put the gear in park. He watched as they slowly leaned into each other and sat back to wait until the couple had finished their kiss. _'I give them a month before they kill each other_,' he thought dryly, but a fond smile came to his face as he looked away.

XxXxX

Lex had insisted, in a very subtle way, on helping Chloe get comfortable upon their return to the mansion. He had always been adept at giving an authoritative order to his seasoned staff with the simplest of suggestions; a slight nod of his head, a fixed glance, or the spoken command. Since none of these had come from Lex as Chloe eased herself onto the soft sofa before the fire in the den, Enrique took it upon himself to leave the couple alone to tend to his other duties.

"Would you like more pillows?" Lex asked, opting to not physically help too much while Chloe adjusted herself to become comfortable.

"Are you going to fawn all over me now?" she asked in response, fighting with the pillow at her back to bend the way she liked so she could lounge back, but her shoulder and ribs were giving her a hard time about all the moving she was doing.

"I simply asked a question, Chloe."

"What I really need is for you to help me get '_this_'," she punched at the pillow then winced at hurting herself. "In the position I want so I can recline back!" she finished, breathing hard from her unproductive efforts.

Lex moved to the side of the sofa and grabbed the pillow with both hands as Chloe slightly leaned forward to give him room. He folded it in half and shoved it down next to the arm of the couch, then touched her shoulder as a suggestion for her to lean back.

Chloe eased backwards then moved her back and shoulders from side to side, sinking deep into the plush softness. Lex hadn't moved back while she settled down, but let his left hand rest atop of the back of the sofa, leaning over her in case she wasn't satisfied.

"Is that how you wanted it?" he asked after she had breathed a deep sigh and closed her eyes.

Chloe lazily opened her eyes to look at him, a warm smile forming on her lips. "Yea, thanks," she sighed appreciatively, staring into his eyes that were just a few inches from her own.

"I should have '_known_' she'd be here!" a feminine accusation came from the doorway.

Lex raised his head to look over the back of the sofa towards the door while Chloe started to sit up again. He placed a staying hand on Chloe's good shoulder, then straightened himself to his full height.

"I have been waiting for three hours for her to show up at my house!" Gina Ross continued, fixing Lex with an irritated glare as she walked further into the room. "Now the first half hour didn't count because that's how long it would've taken to drive from the hospital. But then an hour went by, then an hour and a half, then two hours and.... no Chloe!" Gina stopped to stand just behind the sofa with her hands on her hips giving Lex her undivided attention. "I would've been here sooner except that I got the run around at the hospital when I finally called to find out what happened to her!"

"That's my fault Gina," Chloe said apologetically, "I forgot to call you after Lex arrived at the hospital," she added, shifting her gaze to look at Lex fretfully.

Gina looked down at Chloe, her entire countenance relaxing. "It's not your fault, Chloe," she stated in a soft tone. "From what you told me on the phone this morning, this was the 'last' place I expected to find you."

"I'll leave you to your conversation," Lex stated snidely towards Chloe, then stepped away from the couch altogether. He had believed her when she said she had planned on returning to him, he hadn't thought of asking '_when_' she planned to follow through with that notion.

"Lex, wait!" Chloe called pleadingly, moving to sit upright. "I wasn't sure how you would react to my just showing up here!" she explained in a rush. "I called Gina as a backup!"

Lex stopped halfway to the door to look back at Chloe, then shifted his gaze to Gina, who was remaining silent for once. "Enjoy your visitor, Chloe, we'll talk more after Gina leaves," he said in a neutral tone, then left the room.

Gina turned a regretful gaze to Chloe. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I thought he knew you were coming to our house."

"It's ok. It's not your fault, it's mine."

"Chloe," Gina addressed with concern, moving around to the front of the sofa to sit on the edge near Chloe's feet. "What the hell is going on between you two?"

"I messed everything up, Gina!" she said, starting to cry. "And instead of making things better, I keep making it worse!"

"Shh, shh, shh," Gina soothed, scooting up on the sofa to comfort her friend. "You couldn't have messed everything up or Lex wouldn't have let you back in." She brushed aside a lock of Chloe's hair and helped her wipe away her tears. "Now tell me what happened, maybe I can help make some sense of all of this."

XxXxX

"Sir," Enrique addressed Lex from the doorway of his office. "Mrs. Ross would like to speak with you."

"I was expecting her to," he replied, closing the open windows on his laptop. "Show her in, Enrique."

The butler no sooner vanished into the hall when Gina appeared in his place. "Lex, I just wanted to apologize for how I came in earlier," she stated, standing in front of the desk.

Lex studied her for a moment before swiveling in the chair to stand up and walk over to get some water. "It's alright, Gina, I'm used to being blamed for everything."

"That doesn't make it right in my book, and you know it, Lex." She turned to follow his movements with her full focus, leaning back against the desk as he took a drink of water. "I wasn't mad at you, really I wasn't. It's just that as the hours passed and she didn't show up I got worried. Gabe didn't know where she was, her cell phone was set for voice mail, and the hospital gave me the run around. It's not like Chloe to not follow up with something, ever, and I got scared that something had happened to her when she didn't so much as call."

"And I suppose that's my fault?"

"No," she replied, smiling at him. "Not in the way you're thinking anyway." She pushed from the desk to walk across the room, stopping just a couple feet from him. "You showed up and she forgot everything else, Lex. Don't you see how much she wants to be with you?"

Lex walked away from her, taking another pull from his water bottle. He didn't want to have this conversation with Gina, with anyone actually. How he felt towards Chloe was his personal business and he wanted to keep it that way.

Gina watched him become withdrawn. His casual stance and waywardness didn't fool her though, she had been around him too long. But she hadn't meant to make him uncomfortable either.

"This is between you and Chloe," she voiced. "And I respect that. I just hope neither of you gives up on what you've got between you." She waited a minute for him to reply, watching him look out the stained glass window with his back towards her. "Anyway," she stated when he didn't comment. "Chloe's resting right now, and I have to get home to start dinner." She headed towards the door to leave then paused in the doorway. "Lex? She really does want to be here with you. Take care of her for us, okay?"

After Gina left Lex made his way back to the den to find Chloe sleeping peacefully. He watched her for a few minutes then left her alone.

XxXxX

(Eleventh Night)

It was just past five o'clock when Lex had been politely reminded that it was close to dinner hour. Tucking his paperwork into their appropriate folders, he filed everything accordingly then headed towards the den to check on Chloe.

He still wasn't sure what to expect from Chloe in the matter of atonement. He was used to one of two ways from the fairer sex to get back on his good side personally, and the likelihood of finding her naked in his bed, or the deed to a small company on his desk was definitely out of the question. Chloe was made of stronger valor than that, which left Lex with a self-assured feeling that whatever she came up with, it would be from her heart.

Still, all in all, this was unfamiliar ground that made him wary just on principle. Lex had already let his feelings get the better of him at least twice where Chloe was concerned. The first had been after he had taken her to the emergency room, he had slept in his car in the parking lot, refusing to be too far away in case they had found serious internal injuries. The second had been bringing her back to the mansion upon her release after he had told himself time and time again that he wasn't going to give in and go after her.

It had hurt far too much when Gina had made it known that arrangements had been made for Chloe to stay with the Ross's and not return to him as she had led him to believe. But even then, he was willing to believe Chloe when she said that her friends were simply a back up plan. After all, she had contacted Enrique to pick her up, not one of her friends.

Feeling as though he was trying to convince himself of something, he resigned himself to remain calm and as detached as possible in front of her until he was certain of her intentions. Nearing the den Lex noticed one of his maids standing idly in the middle of the hall just past the pantry. Pausing, he bestowed her with a questioning look without verbally speaking the inquiry.

"I am waiting for Miss Sullivan, Mr. Luthor," she replied at his unspoken question, gesturing towards the door in front of her. "She is tending to personal needs. I was instructed to stand by in case she required some assistance."

He nodded with understanding and continued towards the den, seating himself comfortably in a chair to wait for Chloe's return.

"Would you rather move to a room upstairs?" he asked when she appeared in the doorway. A frown of concern slightly creased his brow when he saw her. She was a little pale and was using the maid's help by heavily leaning on her while she took slow uneven steps back to the sofa.

"No, I just have to take it slow and easy," she said, trying to smile. "You don't realize how the entire body is connected until you get banged up." She reached her hand out to lean on the back of the sofa, gently easing herself down to a lying position. "If I raise my arm too high my shoulder screams in pain, then the ribs start complaining, the pulse in my head gets louder, and... well, in short I feel like I was hit by a Mack truck."

"There are smaller rooms upstairs, Chloe. You wouldn't have as far to walk just to use the bathroom."

"As grand as that may be, I don't think I'd make the trip up all those steps. Plus I need to move around a little bit. I'm going nuts just lying around."

After she got herself comfortable she noticed the concern etched on his face "I'll be fine, Lex," she reassured him. "Besides, I'm right across the hall from the pantry and your entire staff drops in to ask if I need anything every time one of them goes past the doorway."

He remained silent, watching as she took a deep breath, her body relaxing among the pillows and throws that surrounded her. "I had every intention of coming here, Lex," she voiced, turning her head to look at him. "You can't tell me that you wouldn't have made alternate arrangements, not knowing what kind of reception to expect, if the shoe was on the other foot."

"Were they truly alternate arrangements, Chloe?"

"They were until I heard about the mood you were in this morning," she answered honestly, looking over at him. "I'm not strong enough right now to defend myself against that, Lex."

They held each other's gazes for a moment. Lex judging her sincerity while Chloe searched for '_anything_' to tell her she had made the right choice.

"Then, it's lucky for you that I had my second cup of coffee," he joked in a simple tone.

The choked laugh escaped her lips of its own volition. "And he jokes about it," she mused aloud. "Does this mean I am an honorary couch potato for the next few days?" Her words had been light, but the expression in her eyes was far from joking. They held his intently while waiting for his answer.

"I'm considering reinstating our contract, if that's what you..."

"Oh fuck the contract, Lex! I didn't stay here because of some verbal contract! I want to know if you want me here or not, plain and simple."

"If that answer isn't obvious to you, Chloe, then perhaps you shouldn't have come back." He stood from the chair to leave, crossing the room with a steady pace. How much clearer did he have to be about his feelings and intentions? It unnerved him that she insisted on asking him the same question repeatedly, and he refused to continue to ply into her insecurity.

"Is this how it would be between us, Lex?" she asked suddenly, stopping him just inside the door. "Always second guessing each other, second guessing ourselves?"

He turned around as she continued.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, I wish I could take it back. But everything you were saying to me was exactly what I wanted to hear, only I didn't think you really meant it. I thought you were using me for something. I thought it was some means for a greater scheme you had up your sleeve. By the time I realized you honestly meant every word... I didn't trust my own feelings for you."

She let her gaze drop to her lap. "I know better than anyone how deeply you've been hurt in the past, Lex, and I swore I'd never be one of those women." She met his eyes once more, tears brimming at the edges. "But I ended up being just like them, anyway."

She had turned her face away just as a tear fell down her cheek. Lex remained unmoving, watching Chloe try to retain control of her emotions. She had a point, though. Would it be like this between them if they were to have a relationship? Always trying to guess at the other's intentions, wondering what was heartfelt and what was not?

"Mr. Luthor," a serving maid interrupted from the doorway. "Dinner is ready to be served, sir. Would you like something set up in here for Miss Sullivan?"

"Yes. Place a setting for Miss Sullivan here in the den. I'll take my meal in my office." The maid nodded and vanished to do his bidding. He turned back towards Chloe, noticing the expression of disappointment at him not dining with her. "As for us having a relationship, I know what I want, Chloe. But, I'm not convinced that you know what you want. Until you've made up your mind, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you need."

Chloe watched him exit the room with tears in her eyes and her heart torn in different directions. He was right. She really wasn't sure of what she wanted. When he was near her she wanted to get closer, she wanted to feel his arms around her, and let herself fall in love with him completely. But she would have to give up her life in Gotham, knowing that Lex was more than content to stay here in Smallville, exactly the place she had ran from in the first place.

"Ah, Mr. Luthor," Enrique addressed, stepping before his employer from the pantry. "I have a small table set for two completely furnished for this evenings dinner. It will be carried to the den immediately."

"I've ordered for separate arrangements," he replied evenly, knowing full well that his head of staff had been informed with haste of his wishes.

"I was hoping the maid had misunderstood you, sir," Enrique stated respectfully. "I will change the settings immediately." He stepped back into the small kitchen to remove one plate setting from the small table. "Would you prefer that I use paper plates in lieu of the china, Mr. Luthor?"

Lex stepped into the smaller room, standing close to his servant's back. "I know what you're doing, and it won't work," he stated.

"I'm not certain I understand what I'm being accused of, sir," Enrique said, turning around to face his employer. "It isn't uncommon for the china to be left untouched while you dine alone," he added with innocent airs.

Lex took a step closer to the man, keeping his voice steady and low. "Are you aware that she just asked me, again, if I wanted her to be here?" Lex asked. "How obvious do I have to be?"

It had been a rhetorical question and Enrique understood that completely. But he couldn't help replying anyway. "Perhaps, sir, if you treated this situation with the details as in a business contract, you would be able to alleviate any doubt in her mind."

"I wasn't asking for your help," he replied flatly.

"My apologies, sir. I'll simply tend to serving dinner." With that said, the servant turned and began to clear off the small table and place the plates onto separate trays.

Lex left the pantry and crossed the hall to stand just inside the doorway of the den. Maybe Enrique had a point. In a contract every detail would be spelled out and understood without a doubt, except the fine print that so many people skipped over, which he used to his advantage. But, Chloe was usually adept at reading the fine print, hearing the unspoken word, catching any subtle innuendo that wasn't supposed to be caught. Lex watched her wipe her tears, seeing the frustration written clearly on her face. Perhaps he was being too subtle and inconsistent?

"Chloe?" Her eyes flew towards the door, surprised at seeing Lex standing there. "Don't compare yourself to anyone else in my life. You're far from being just like any woman I've had any ties with."

There. That was the best he could come up with, without giving in too much.

"Lex!" she called when he motioned to leave again. "Don't leave me to eat by myself. I can make it to the dinning room if that's what you want. Please, Lex. I'm bored out of my mind! I really want some company… your company."

He drew in a contemplative breath. His separate eating arrangements had been spurred by the realization that they both should have some time to think things through, not to make her feel alienated. The very low sound of someone clearing their throat nearby came to Lex's ears. Lex outwardly ignored the encouragement from his butler, but decided that it could possibly be worth heeding, for Chloe's sake.

"If that's what you want," he conceded. "I'll have a table set in here for both of us."

"Thank you, Lex," she said, smiling at him with obvious relief.

Chloe had realized too late that she had annoyed him further by questioning his intentions. His wanting to reinstate their contract was his way of accepting her back into his life. She should have simply agreed with him, but, no, she had to cause more ripples in already disturbed waters. When he had walked out of the room she had the sudden impulse to smack herself upside the head, luckily she hadn't given in to that impulse. It was bad enough she couldn't control those damn tears, but for him to see her have a personal fit? No, not a good idea.

Lex had no sooner stepped into the hall to give his staff a change of order when Enrique appeared with two other servants carrying the fully set table to be placed in the den. Lex stepped out of the way as they went into the room, resuming his spot as his butler came to stand next to him with shoulders squared and a cloth over his bent arm.

"This behavior is only amusing when it benefits me personally," Lex stated in a low voice only for the other man to hear.

"If this does not benefit you personally, Mr. Luthor, I shall hand in my resignation."

"Oh my god, Lex!" Chloe exclaimed at seeing the elaborate setting on the table, slowly rising from the sofa to sit on the cushioned chair held for her by a servant. "I don't believe you!" she exclaimed with awe. "The way you were acting I was half expecting paper plates and plastic ware!"

"Not. One. Word," Lex warned his head of staff from deep in his throat.

Enrique hurried the other servants from the room, then followed them out to leave the couple to their meal. _'I wouldn't think of it, sir,_' he thought sardonically with a pleased smirk once his back was to his employer.

XxXxX

(Lex's Dream)

Lex recognized his surroundings as downtown Gotham. Walking along the shaded side of the bustling streets, he caught sight of Chloe walking among some friends along the sunnier side of traffic. She was smiling and had just finished laughing at a comment from one of her companions.

Her loose blonde hair bounced stylishly as she strode forward, the light breeze catching a strand to whip it across her face. She turned her head into the wind, gracefully tucking the errant lock behind her ear. Her green eyes sparkled with excitement and happiness, an expression Lex hadn't witnessed personally in a long time.

Suddenly the sky darkened, a cloud seemingly came from nowhere to block the sun. He watched Chloe look up, her expression changing to dread and fear. She began frantically yelling to her friends, but Lex couldn't hear her words. Her friends looked back at her with confusion, then started laughing at her, telling her she was crazy as friends would say such a thing. Lex realized that he could hear every other sound around him, except Chloe.

Then the ground began to shake, people stopped in mid-stride to look around curiously, Lex following suit until his eyes lit back upon Chloe. He stood frozen as the ground from under her feet came up at an angle, causing her to fall on her back and slide with the loosened dirt. She twisted onto her stomach, trying to grab at the sidewalk with her fingers, screaming for help, as she grew closer to the edge of the deepening abyss beneath her.

Suddenly he was able to move. With all his strength Lex ran across the street, calling her name with all the air in his lungs, yelling for her to hold on.

(Chloe's Dream)

Chloe recognized the familiarity of the nightmare instantly and tried to make a few changes. She had found an article about controlling dreams and had researched it a little. Having had the same dream every night gave her the opportunity to practice a few new ideas. So far, she hadn't been able to change much of anything, she still ended up falling into the hole with only Lex there to grab her while everyone else just watched.

This time she wouldn't be alone, she had made sure of that by surrounding herself with some friends she had back in Gotham. One of the only major things she had managed to make different. But it wasn't enough. As the dream progressed they just stood there not doing anything to help her!

She inevitably slid into the gaping abyss in the sidewalk, not able to change the script in the least. As the loose soil and dirt covered over her head, she reached her arm up, knowing that Lex would be there to grab it. He hadn't disappointed her when she felt his fingers grasp her wrist like a vice.

With one last hope of doing something different, she grabbed his wrist in return, and clamped down on his arm with all her strength for him to pull her out. But her little twist had a twist of its own and instead of Lex pulling her out, she pulled him in!

XxXxX

Enrique had heard the feminine, waking scream of his boss's name and eased himself from the soft and warm confines of his bed. Shrugging on his robe and slipping on his slippers, he quietly made his way to the pantry and flicked the switch to the coffeepot that he had prepared before he retired to his chambers.


	17. Chapter 17

Sweet Surrender – Chapter 17

(Eleventh Night Cont.)

Chloe sat in the pantry feeling nauseous and lead-headed. The pain meds she had taken were telling her to go back to bed. But the nightmare lingered in her mind too vividly for sleep to be an option.

She had stiffly made her way to the pantry after waking up with a jolt, possibly screaming for Lex. But, she wasn't sure if that had been part of the dream or not. She had followed the light pouring into the hall from the little kitchen, expecting Enrique to be there for some comfort, or at least someone to talk to.

Her dinner with Lex had been nice, if not quiet and slightly uncomfortable. They needed to talk about their feelings for each other, but neither of them would start the conversation. After an hour of conversing about front-page news events and avoiding the real issue, Lex had politely excused himself to go take care of some business, placing a chaste kiss on her temple before leaving the room.

She had felt like a reprimanded child. Her daddy used to do that after she got sent to her room when she was young. He had always come to her to talk about what she had done wrong and give her a kiss to let her know he still loved her anyway. Somehow though, the sentiment coming from Lex hadn't made her feel better as it had when Gabe had done it. In fact, it seemed that no matter what she said or did lately, it was wrong where Lex was concerned.

But, the room had been empty, only the butler's signature of brewing coffee and the light being left on had been a clue that she had in fact woke up screaming. Hugging her coffee mug, she let the warmth seep into her cold hands, wishing it would warm the rest of her as easily.

XxXxX

Lex had jumped to wakefulness, his eyes wide, his breathing ragged. After a few moments of staring up at the ceiling, he wiped his face and took one last calming breath to bring his heart rate to normal again.

The dream had been unlike any he had ever had before. Instead of spending his sleep time trying to save himself from someone trying to kill him, he had been trying to save Chloe from being killed. He lay in his bed thinking how vivid it had been, and how he could remember every detail perfectly. Usually he didn't remember his dreams with such precision, if he remembered them at all.

Suddenly he was filled with the need to check on Chloe. He ignored it at first and tried to go back to sleep, it had been only a dream after all. But, sleep wouldn't come, and he couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that something was wrong. Pushing the sheets aside, he climbed out of bed. He had to know for certain that she was all right. Stepping into his sweatpants that were set aside for his morning workout, he made his way down towards the den.

XxXxX

He found her in the pantry, having followed the stream of light pouring from the room. He had expected his head of staff to be with her, knowing they had often shared conversation over coffee in the middle of the night. But, Enrique was nowhere to be seen, Chloe sat at the small table alone and not looking well.

She was slumped forward in the chair with her forehead on the table, her left arm nestled against her ribs, her forearm laying on her lap. Her right arm was atop the smooth surface, hooked around a cup of coffee pressed against her cheek.

"Chloe?" She slowly raised her head and looked over at him. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, dark circles underlined them, and her pallor was pale in the glow of the bright lighting above her. He moved to the table and sat down across from her. "What happened? Are you alright?" he saw the mask of pretense she put on as she smiled at him.

"I'm fine, Lex, I just couldn't sleep," she chuckled with feigned humor. "That's what I get for sleeping away the afternoon."

"Chloe, ..."

"So what brings you to the midnight cafe?" she asked nonchalantly with her feigned indifference fully in place. "I thought you were sleeping like the dead."

Her facade slipped after the words were out of her mouth. He caught the flash of fear before she covered it over by taking a casual sip of her coffee.

"Unfortunately, I don't sleep that soundly," he replied, letting her keep her pretense that nothing was wrong. She didn't want to talk about whatever had upset her, and he wasn't about to push the issue. "I thought I heard something, and it woke me up," he finished, sounding casual.

Chloe bit at her bottom lip guiltily. She must have screamed louder than she thought for him to have heard it clear all the way in his room. Enrique hearing her was different, his room was just down the hall, more or less. But, Lex had been completely on the other side of the manor, on the next level, most likely with his door closed.

"I'm sorry," she apologized softly. "No matter what I do they're getting worse."

He kept his gaze locked with hers, waiting for her to continue. He had a feeling he knew what she was referring to, but he needed more information to be sure. "What are you trying to do, Chloe?"

She looked at him as though he were daft. "To stop them! What do you think I'm trying to do?" she exploded with agitation. "I've been dreaming the same fucking thing '_every_' '_single_' '_night_' that I've been here! I want them to stop!"

Lex was grateful that she was too distraught to notice his own shocked reaction. Her nightmares! He hadn't given a second thought to her nightmares. She had told him that she couldn't sleep well in strange surroundings. He should have known that hadn't been the whole truth. But, somehow he had seen first hand how vivid and detailed, and horrible, her dreams really were. He returned his gaze to her face. She looked scared, lost, and frustrated over something she had no control over.

"I had no idea they were that bad, Chloe, why didn't you tell me?" he asked, gaining control of his thoughts.

"Tell you what, Lex? That I have bad dreams of not being accepted?" she ranted, though not as loudly as a moment before. "That everyone laughs at me and lets me get sucked into a vortex to die! Was I supposed to tell you that you're the only one who is always there to save me?"

_'Or try to_,' he thought, the image of him falling in with her flashed through his mind. "It would have made a difference if I had known."

"Why? What could you have done?" she asked tiredly.

"I could have stopped them," he replied simply.

She laughed cynically right in his face. "Sure, Lex. And how do you think you would have done that?"

"The nights you slept in my arms, you didn't dream."

"I was drunk!" she retorted. "You were drunk! They don't count!" Her mind raced for a better reason. "That doesn't prove anything."

"I thought you'd at least be willing to find out," he stated bluntly, abruptly rising from the table. Her reaction only reiterated his previous assumption, she had no idea what she wanted from him. She had said she loved him, yet shirked at the first opportunity to actually be close to him.

"I can't share the couch like I did before," she explained in a rush, also standing up. She hadn't meant to sound as though it was an absurd idea. His suggestive statement had simply caught her off guard, her default reaction was to deny it. "My bruises are still too tender, I don't heal as fast as you do!"

He studied her thoughtfully, weighing his options of whether to give in or just walk away.

"It would be a long, slow walk up to your room," Chloe stated in a more appeasing tone. "but, I'm game if you'll let me."

She could hardly stand up without leaning on the table, the color that filled her face moments before had drained, leaving her cheeks pale and pasty. She felt cold again and swallowed hard, blinking repetitiously to keep her focus. She needed to lie down and soon.

"Come on," he stated, moving to her side to give her support. She was trying, he reasoned, despite her not feeling well. "We don't have as far to go as you think."

XxXxX

"Why didn't anyone mention to me that the damn couch was a sofa bed?" she asked with mild irritation.

Lex had helped her back to the den and eased her into the chair before removing the cushions and pillows to pull out the mattress hidden underneath.

"You seemed comfortable enough. I thought the cushions and throws gave you better support for your shoulder and ribs."

"It would have been nice to move around a little bit!"

"Are we going to argue over the sleeping arrangements now?" he quipped, quickly tiring of the constant bantering over every little thing.

"No. It just would've been nice to know, that's all."

"Well now you know."

Chloe remained quiet while he smoothed out the sheets and added the blankets and pillows to the queen sized pull out. What was wrong with her that she had to argue with him all the time? He was trying to help, stooping so far as to fix the bedding himself instead of waking one of his servants, and she gave him a hard time about it.

However, she would have to think about it more thoroughly in the morning. Her eyes grew heavy, her stomach was still unsettled, and the coffee she had drunk hadn't helped. The thought of lying down on a soft mattress nestled within Lex's arms sounded like heaven.

"I never have the dream twice in one night," she told him as he helped her into the bed.

"Hopefully you'll never have them again, period."

She gently slipped between the sheets, liking the feel of the cool sheets against her bare feet and legs when her pajama's rode up to her calves. Lex draped the blankets over her then moved to the other side of the bed.

After he slid in next to her he raised his left arm above his head for Chloe to move closer. She shimmied herself to his side, rolled over on her uninjured shoulder, and let her head rest on his bare chest. When she was settled he let his arm rest at her back, caressing it in small circular motions.

"You forgot to turn off the light," she whispered, her body relaxing heavily against his. His light touch was soothing, making her fall asleep even faster.

He hadn't bothered to reply. He could feel her steadily falling asleep. Within another moment or so it wouldn't make any difference to her if the lights were on or not.

XxXxX

(Day Twelve)

After showering and getting dressed Lex stepped into the dining room for breakfast to find a simple setting of a spoon, a bowl, a pitcher of cold milk, and a box of Lucky Charms.

"Agatha," Lex casually addressed the maid nearby. "Has my cook decided to take the morning off?"

"No, Mr. Luthor. We were instructed to serve you a simple breakfast this morning."

"I assume those instructions were given by Miss Sullivan?"

"Yes, Mr. Luthor. Would you prefer something else?"

"No, this will do."

Seating himself at the table he slightly shook his head as he reached for the comical box in front of him. _'The ass kissing has begun_.' He smirked as he filled his bowl with 'Lucky Charms'.

When he was done eating he strolled to the den. He had half expected her to join him after making specific arrangements on his behalf, when she hadn't appeared to eat with him he had grown curious.

Fully stepping into the room, he found her sleeping soundly. In his absence she had moved to the center of the mattress, hugging the pillow he had used with her body. Not wanting to disturb her, he stepped from the room and headed out to tend to some business.

XxXxX

His day had been filled with one board meeting after another. Not to mention the township meeting followed closely by the county meeting concerning his petition for the vacant land next to the plant.

The local community was still leery of a Luthor holding the title to the forty-three acres of unused land adjoining the LexCorp plant refinery. For the past three years he had filed for the bid of sale, and for the past three years he had been rejected.

But Lex refused to give up. He knew what he could do if he was able to expand the plant. How much business it would bring to Smallville, how many jobs it would give to its community. How many local resources it would provide instead of having to rely on outside contracting. Not to mention how much money he would make in profit. But they didn't want a Luthor to have it, though no one else wanted it either.

Striding down the hall towards the den, he felt almost comforted knowing that Chloe was there to come home to. He wouldn't tell her about his bid for expansion, she would only tell him that he was a glutton for punishment, and quite honestly she'd be right. But he could discuss a few other endeavors he was involved in, if she would be interested in hearing about them.

He reached the den looking forward to some decent conversation but stopped dead in his tracks as soon as she came into sight. Her face was too flushed, he could see the sheen of sweat from where he stood. She was tangled up in the sheets, which told him she had been tossing and turning in her sleep.

"Enrique, call the doctor," he ordered without turning around. His servant had been standing behind him and he had known it. Lex half sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her forehead to brush away her damp hair.

"I summoned the doctor an hour ago, sir."

"Well then summon him again!" Lex snapped, then lowered his head. "Just call again," he added in a softer tone.

Chloe opened her eyes when she heard Lex's voice. "I feel like refried shit."

"The doctor is on his way."

She smiled weakly. "That's my Lex. Snap your fingers and they jump. I like that about you, always in control."

He felt far from being in control. He didn't even know what was wrong with her. "Why didn't you tell me you felt sick like this?"

"It didn't happen till this afternoon. I think I'm having a reaction to the meds. Been feeling nauseous since last night."

"Mr. Luthor," a masculine voice announced, stepping into the room. "I'm doctor James Allen. Is she coherent enough to answer some questions?" he asked, placing his bag on the arm of the sofa bed.

"She is quite coherent and can be spoken to directly," Chloe answered for herself.

"I'll wait outside," Lex stated, leaving the room with a smirk. "Even in sickness she's feisty," he commented to Enrique upon entering the hall. "Show the doctor to my office when he's finished with Chloe."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor."

XxXxX

"She'll be fine," the doctor reassured Lex in his office, both hands held up in front of him. "She was just having a normal reaction to the medication she's taking."

"You call that a normal reaction?" he asked evenly.

"I gave her a shot to bring down her fever and counteract the drug," the doctor went on to explain, ignoring Lex's comment. "She needs to eat more, that's what caused the fever. The medication she's on staves the hunger, so she won't want to eat. But if she doesn't have substance in her stomach the medication has a diverse effect on the body. It's a very common side effect."

"She should have been told of this in the hospital."

"I fully agree with you, Mr. Luthor, unfortunately most doctors today think it's easier to just write a prescription and send them on their way, then it is to sit the patient down and explain much of anything to them.

"I've written her a different prescription, one that doesn't have as many side effects but works just as well for her pain and discomfort."

"And what drug would that be?"

"Aleve," he laughed, thinking himself funny. "Give her two every four hours and, with plenty of rest, lots of liquids, and regular meals, she should be back on her feet in a couple of days. Though she'll still needs to take it easy for at least another week. Is she registered for physical therapy at the hospital?"

"I hired a private nurse."

"Oh, right. Yes of course you would." Clearing his throat. "Well, Mr. Luthor, I'll be on my way then."

"Enrique, please show the doctor to the door."

"With pleasure, sir."

XxXxX

(Twelfth Night)

Lex had designated himself to stay by her side, literally, while the medication she had been taking worked its way out of her system. He had insisted that she drink as much water as possible every time she awoke, making sure there was a plate of food nearby to help her recover as quickly as possible.

"You're either going to drown me, or make me fat," she complained, dragging herself from the pull out bed to head for the bathroom down the hall.

"You'll thank me in the morning and you know it!" he smirked, catching her one finger salute out of the corner of his eye as she made her way out the door.

She returned to resume her position next to him on the mattress, using his stomach as a pillow while he used all the pillows to prop himself comfortably to watch TV.

"Is this the same movie?" she asked, having caught a glimpse of a western just as she had drifted off earlier. Lex nodded but otherwise remained engrossed in the film. "How long have I been asleep?"

"About an hour."

"That's it?" she asked, half raising herself to look up at him. Again, he nodded, sparing her the most fleeting of glances. "It seemed longer than that," she mused more to herself as she lowered herself back to a comfortable position.

"You're feeling better?"

"A little bit. I don't feel nauseous like I did, and the fever is gone. But everything still hurts more than it should, at least I think so anyway."

"You can have the other pain medication in a few more hours. In the meantime, if you continue to relax and not move too much the pain should lessen."

"You just want to watch your movie without me bothering you."

He smirked broadly, making sure he didn't otherwise react to her correct assumption. Placing his hand on her back, he caressed her as he had the night before.

"Don't worry, Lex," she yawned. "I won't ruin your happy, ride into the sunset, ending."

"Actually, they all die in this one. I'm watching Young Guns Two."

"That's good," she mumbled. "Don't stop."

And during the scene where Chavez Y Chavez meets his spirit guide to be taken to the Great Hunting Grounds of his People, Chloe Sullivan fell asleep.

XxXxX

(Day Thirteen)

"Hey!" Chloe greeted Gina with a pleasant smile when she opened the door. "I was hoping we might be able to have lunch?"

Chloe had woken up to find it was mid-morning the next day and Lex was out on some business matter. Feeling a lot better after a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast, she decided to go visiting.

"Your timing, as always, is impeccable, Chloe," Gina smiled in return, leaning against the doorjamb as she pushed the door open wide. "But, come on in, I was half expecting you anyway."

"Why were you expecting me?" she asked, walking half sideways through the doorway to keep eye contact as she stepped into the living room.

"I heard what happened with Lex," she replied simply, pushing away from the frame to close the door. "It's about time things are going good for a change."

"How the hell did you hear about that? It just happened last night!"

Gina paused and stared at Chloe thoughtfully for a moment. "I have a feeling we're talking about two different things. I'm referring to Lex finally making the settlement on the property next to the plant for expansion. What are you referring to?"

"Oh, that," she adlibbed with a smile, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I forgot all about the settlement deal."

"You had no idea about the settlement, did you?" Gina accused playfully, crossing her arms over her chest with a knowing expression.

"Actually no," Chloe admitted sheepishly. "So what did I catch you in the middle of this time?" she asked, covering up her embarrassing slip.

Gina's curiosity peaked to its highest capacity when Chloe changed the subject, but she had a more pressing matter at hand to deal with and knew she would be able to get Chloe to talk later about what was going on with her and Lex.

"We were just in the middle of 'finger painting'," Gina stated with non-too-happy sarcasm. Chloe raised her brows questioningly. "Cool-Aid packets and water, all over the kitchen floor," Gina explained with exasperation.

Chloe covered her mouth with her hand to hide her amused smirk. "I take it this was an unsupervised endeavor."

Gina nodded. "I was only in the bathroom for three minutes! She was watching 'Finding Nemo' so intently I thought I could get away with it. Obviously I was wrong."

"Obviously," Chloe snickered, following Gina out to the kitchen. "Whoa!" Chloe exclaimed at seeing the multicolored pattern pasted all over the beige linoleum floor. "I mean... oh my... uhm, wow." She finally gave up trying to sound supportive on the mother's behalf. "She's very artistic."

They both stood in the doorway admiring Shauna's art work from different perspectives. Chloe reached in her bag and grabbed her digital camera. "I '_have_' to take a picture of this!"

"Make me four copies after you download it," Gina requested dryly. "Our families will love this one."

"I guess this is from Pete's side of the gene pool, huh?" Chloe asked, clicking a few shots of the picturesque scene on the floor.

"Unfortunately, no," Gina sighed. "I remember me and my sister doing this exact same thing when we were little. Shauna just draws a lot better than we did. I'm almost sorry that I have to wash it up."

"Where is Shauna, anyway?" Putting the camera back in her bag.

"I put her in her room for some _'quiet time'_. Though she most likely fell asleep since she didn't come out to say hello to you."

"Shouldn't you check on her?"

"No, she's safe in her room. We've accident proofed it very well." Gina dug out a bucket and began filling it with water and cleaning detergent to wash up the mess before it stained the floor permanently. "The walls are glossy coated so we can easily wipe off any creative spurts such as this one. We let Shauna pick out her own rug, it has my pretty pony printed all over it so she isn't likely to mess that up, She loves it too much. Her bed and dresser are from the Princess collection that she absolutely flipped over, though she doesn't know it came with a canopy, that would just be asking for trouble."

"Having kids really keeps you on your toes, doesn't it?"

Gina paused to look over at her, then got down on her hands and knees with a wet rag in her hand. "Yea," she replied fondly. "And I wouldn't change a damn thing." She looked down at the floor, watching all the colors mix together and dilute when more water was added. "Okay, well, maybe a couple of things."

Chloe wondered if she would be as good of a mom as Gina was. Would she have the patience to handle her child using cool-aid packets to paint on the floor? Would Lex tolerate such behavior considering his own upbringing? She shivered slightly at the thought and had a feeling that she would be covering up many discrepancies from her husband when their kids stepped out of line.

"Chloe!" Gina called to her sternly. She'd asked Chloe a question twice and the girl hadn't answered. Glancing up at her she saw the blank expression on her face.

Chloe blinked out of her reverie and gave Gina an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking what our kids would be like if me and Lex had any."

"I personally want front row seats!" she joked, then looked at Chloe curiously. "How's it going with you and Lex, anyway?"

"I think its going better."

"You '_think_'?"

Chloe nodded. "Yea, uhm... we found out that I don't have those nightmares when he's near me while I sleep."

"Uh-huh." Dropping the rag into the bucket, Gina rose to her feet. She had no idea what she was talking about concerning nightmares but skipped over it to the important stuff. "Chloe, stop pussy footing around and just say it the way it is. Did you sleep with him or not?"

"Well, sort of. With all these bruises we didn't have sex or anything."

"So you shared the bed with him?"

Chloe nodded, feeling weird at talking about this with Gina. She had 'never' felt weird talking to Gina about her boyfriends and sexual activities before. Why would it bother her now?

"Girl," Gina said fondly. "If I were you, I wouldn't ever sleep in separate beds again, nightmares or not. You look as flustered as a virgin watching her first porn movie, and '_that_' my friend, is love." She took the bucket to the sink and dumped the dirty water to refill it. "It's never occurred to you, has it?" Gina asked over her shoulder.

"What never occurred to me?"

Gina grabbed a dishtowel and, turning to lean back on the counter, dried her hands while looking directly at Chloe. "That I never talked to you about me and Pete's relationship. The one behind bedroom doors, that is."

"Actually, I did notice and I was more than a little relieved. That would've just been too weird with both of you being my friends."

"Exactly," Gina finalized, giving Chloe a knowing smirk. "And our circle of friendships had nothing to do with it. I just love and respect him too much to talk about it."

Chloe nodded, feeling relieved that Gina understood her being uncomfortable all of a sudden. She wondered if Lex saw what everyone else apparently saw, that she loved him. "Do you think Lex..."

"Don't even go there!" Gina cut her off, pointing her finger out for emphasis. "If he didn't feel the same way..." Gina paused, getting a mental list of all the ways that Lex had shown his attraction to her friend. She crossed her arms before her and took a contemplative breath. "I can't believe you'd have to ask that question," she summarized. "You show up after years, knock at his door, and moved your stuff right in! How could you possible ask if he wants you in his life?"

"There was more to that than what I told you," Chloe admitted softly.

"Anything else was just an excuse for the two of you to use." Gina stated with soft conviction. "Let me guess, it was a business contract or a mutual agreement of some sort, right?"

Chloe nodded.

"You both need a reason to do anything, why would falling in love be any different for either of you?" she asked rhetorically. "Christ, Chloe, what do you expect from him? A hallmark card telling you he loves you? Enough flowers to put a greenhouse out of business? I'm surprised you're not decked out with enough jewels to make Sza Sza Gabor envious!"

"He's not that sentimental anymore," she stated softly, diverting her eyes at the mention of jewels. Gina was right, she felt awkward even mentioning the earrings to her friend, something that should remain personal between her and Lex.

"Bullshit. You won't let him spoil you, plain and simple." Gina sighed deeply, stepping away from the sink. "If there's one thing I know about Lex, it's that when he wants something he gets it by any means he can think of. And you, Chloe Sullivan, are no exception to that rule."

Gina walked over to her friend and playfully tapped her on the tip of her nose. "Besides," she smiled. "You wouldn't have it any other way. He's making you work for it, and you love every minute of it. You just love tormenting the hell out of yourself, always gotta have the facts, always looking for that fine line, never satisfied with what's right in front of your nose." Gina grinned broadly. "Admit it, Chloe, he's got your number and has been pushing the right buttons all along."

XxXxX

Chloe arrived back at the mansion to find that Lex hadn't returned yet. She had actually been relieved that he wasn't home, it gave her some time to rest and think about everything Gina had said, though Chloe didn't have to think too hard on any of it. She knew Gina was right, about everything. She was the one holding back, not Lex.

She had physically pushed herself too hard that day, wanting to heal faster than her body would allow, and her driving to visit her friend had taken a very painful toll. She thought about Lex's 'off the charts' white blood cell count, allowing him to heal faster than the normal human being.

All the times he had been battered and banged up only to walk into the Talon two days later as though nothing had happened, had spurred her curiosity about what was different about him. Which, in turn, had led her to investigating him and create a file that never should have been created. But that was water under the bridge and a different story entirely.

As she drifted off to sleep Chloe wondered, theoretically and purely rhetorically, if Lex wouldn't mind sharing some of those white cells so she didn't have to feel so damn useless waiting for her body to heal in its own slow time.

XxXxX

(Thirteenth Night)

She awoke a few hours later to find Lex sitting in the chair across from her working silently on his laptop. Taking the opportunity to simply watch him, she was reminded, again, how attracted she was to him. How attracted she had always been to him, even when she was gaga over.... no, she wouldn't even think his name, it wasn't worth it.

Chloe liked the way her heart tightened, the way her stomach fluttered as she watched him work. She counted the many, though very subtle, facial expressions that lit his face as he scrolled through his database. A warm smile of admiration touched her lips. He was so strong and in command of everything he did, not to mention his physique. She let her eyes roam over him freely, noticing not for the first time how he had filled out over the years, in a very nice way. He took his workouts seriously, and seriously speaking it did his body wonders.

He had the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up to his elbows, the first two buttons at the top were undone to show just a peek of his broad chest. Chloe wasn't even aware that she had licked her lips while staring at his fully exposed neck. She breathed in deeply through her mouth, holding a part of her top lip gently between her teeth.

Yea, it was that easy for him to turn her on, and he didn't even know it. Or did he? She ran her gaze up his neck to his jaw, feeling her cheeks get hot at the hint of a smirk on his lips. Meeting his eyes with hers, the blush became complete at getting caught ogling him.

"Feeling better?" he asked, his smirk fully in place.

"Yea," she replied as casually as possible, shifting to a sitting position. "I heard you got the settlement to expand the plant."

"Yes, I was out surveying it this morning," he replied, furrowing his brows slightly. "How did you find out about that?"

She bestowed him a knowing smirk and was tempted to keep him guessing, but decided she had done enough of that lately. "I went to visit Gina today."

He nodded then dropped his gaze back to the screen on his lap. "You seemed a little fidgety last night in your sleep," he mentioned, raising his eyes to look over at her. "Did you have that dream again?"

"Not that I remember, no," she replied, frowning with thought. "I thought I slept like a rock. In fact I hadn't slept that good in days. Maybe it was just my lack of mobility," she surmised. "I can't sleep on one side, get tired of laying on the other, hate sleeping on my back, and its impossible to sleep on my stomach."

"You didn't have a problem sleeping on my stomach," he smirked.

"Well, you took all the pillows," she grinned back at him. "And I'm used to having a pillow to hug."

"I'm glad I could accommodate you."

"Me too." They held each other's gazes for a long moment before Chloe looked away. "Lex, I want to talk to you about... us." When she looked back at him, his expression had become stoic, not letting her see anything that was going through his mind. "You were right the other day, I wasn't sure of what I wanted. Actually, I know what I want, but what I want and what I've got... well, what I can have and what I want... dammit! With all my journalistic skills, I can't think of how to say this!"

"It's okay, Chloe, I understand."

"No you don't understand! Don't you dare _'its okay, Chloe_' me! I want you, I want to be with you dammit! I want to have children who paint on the floor, and stick gum in the sofa, and hide their dirty sneakers in the dishwasher! And I want all of that with you! But I don't know if I can stay in Smallville to have it!"

He stared at her impassively, letting everything she had just said run through his mind. "Then we'll move," he shrugged simply. "I'd prefer to live in Metropolis rather than Gotham, but, if that's where you want to be, then that's where I'll go."

His response shocked the breath right out of her, leaving her to stare at him for a full minute. "You really want me that bad."

Lex quirked a brow. _'Finally, it sinks in._'

XxXxX

(2 Years Later)

EPILOGUE

_Dear Gina and Pete,_

Thank you for the birthday package for the baby, we received it just in time to pack it with the rest of our things. Lex has finally managed to convince me to move to Metropolis and we'll be arriving within the week. In fact, we may already be unpacking in the new house by the time you get this email.

Will call as soon as the phones are turned on.

Love, Chloe

She clicked the send button then logged offline to shutdown the PC for it to be packed.

"Are you about finished, Chloe?" Enrique asked, stepping into the near empty room Chloe had used as an office.

"Yea, I was just going to wrap the wires up so none of them get lost, and I want the scanner in a separate box... where'd that box go?" she asked, looking around.

"Chloe," the servant stated fondly. "Allow me to handle this. Lex is waiting for you in the nursery with the baby."

"Okay, but you're sure you got this?" The expression on his face spoke volumes as a response. "Right, of course you can. I guess we'll see you in Metropolis, then."

"Without a doubt, I will be on the seven-forty flight in the morning."

Chloe nodded and headed for the nursery.

"Are you ready?" Lex asked when she entered the room. He had just finished buttoning the knit sweater he put on their daughter.

"I thought we were catching the four-fifteen?"

"Chloe, it's almost three now," holding the infant up at his shoulder.

"Oh damn, I didn't realize it was that late."

"You never do when you get in front of the computer," he pointed out lightly.

"Well, I guess that's it, then," she said, taking the baby from him. "You ready to leave Gotham?"

"Absolutely," he replied, draping his arm over her shoulders as they headed out the door.

~THE END~

**SPECIAL NOTE** I must give credit where credit is due regarding Enrique. I originally "borrowed" Enrique from a 'BlueSabby' fanfiction at NS. (No idea which one-so don't ask.) I love using him and build the character for my own purposes, making him ever present but rarely seen, a shoulder to lean on, and a part of the family. Every word, action, and intention of Enrique is always 'Sabby' approved before I post. So, although I love writing Enrique, and use him freely, I can't have all the credit for his character, though I think I take his 'cheekiness' to the limit!  
~Kat~


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